LOW-DOSE RADIATION-THERAPY FOR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

Background: The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of low-do se radiation therapy in patients with age-related macular degeneration . Methods: One hundred eyes of 78 patients (mean age 72 years) with di fferent forms of age-related macular degeneration were treated with ex ternal beam radiotherapy between 1971 and 1989. In four fractions a to tal dose of 2 Gy was administered over 7 days. Radiation therapy was p erformed by the conventional 200-kV technique. The mean duration of fo llow-up period was 7 years (range 0.5 to 20 years). A control group wa s composed of 96 eyes from patients with AMD who received no therapy. The mean visual acuity at first presentation and the duration of follo w-up was the same as in the treatment group. Results No difference in visual acuity between the treatment and control groups could be observ ed. After 1, 2, 5 and 10 years the mean visual acuity was equal in the radiation group and the control group. Even in subgroup analysis rega rding only the eyes with exudative forms of AMD, no effect of this tre atment strategy could be demonstrated. Conclusion: Our results suggest that low-dose radiation therapy in patients with age-related macular degeneration has no beneficial effect. However, it must be considered that the dose of 2 Gy is low in comparison to doses used in recently p ublished studies (5-24 Gy).