RADIATION-THERAPY FOR AGE-RELATED SUBFOVEAL CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULAR MEMBRANES - A PILOT-STUDY

In this pilot study the effect of radiation therapy on subfoveal CNV m embranes associated with age-related macular degeneration was evaluate d. Four groups of 10 patients were treated with external beam radiothe rapy(16 MV photons) on an area of 1 cm(2) (macular region) using a len s-sparing technique and total dose of 8 to 24 Gy. The first group rece ived 8 Gy in a single fraction. In this group only 30% had a stable vi sual acuity and a stable FA after 18 months follow-up. In 50% of patie nts in group 2 (12 Gy) and 40% of patients in group 3 (18 Gy) the visu al acuity and FA appearance remained stable after 18 months of follow- up. In the last group (24 Gy) 80% of patients had a stable visual acui ty and FA appearance after 12 months follow-up. Comparison of these fi ndings with the natural history data of subfoveal age-related CNV, sug gests a beneficial effect of radiation therapy with a total dose of 12 Gy or more on the progression of CNV membranes.