CHOROIDAL MELANOMA BRACHYTHERAPY WITH IOD INE-125 - INTEREST OF THE TECHNIQUE AND FIRST RESULTS

Purpose Among conservative treatment of the choroidal melanoma, improv ed functional capacities can be provided with Iodine 125 and with a tr eatment planning system for optimized dosimetry. Method Forty patients were treated with Iodine 125 with a minimal follow-up period of 6 mon ths and a mean follow up of 25 months. Results Response to the treatme nt based on tumor regression or stabilization was 97%. Complication ra te was 32%. Retinopathy was the major cause of loss of vision and was linked to the proximity of the tumor to the macula. Two patients devel oped metastasis and one required enucleation for tumor regrowth. Concl usion Brachytherapy with Iodine 125 was found to be effective on tumor growth within the limits of the follow-up. High doses (100 Gy) given to the apex of the tumor did not increase complications rate. Many yea rs will be necessary to assess efficiency of such a procedure in terms of preventing complications.