Retrospective Analysis of Radiation-Induced Complications of Uveal Melanoma Patients Treated With Brachytherapy in the Era of Anti-VEGF.

PURPOSE: To associate clinical factors and radiation doses delivered by iodine-125 plaque brachytherapy to visual outcomes and development of radiation-induced ocular complications in patients with uveal melanoma in the era of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for 225 patients treated with iodine-125 brachytherapy for uveal melanoma. The effects of radiation doses (focal doses, average dose to the entire eye, and integral dose) on visual outcomes and development of radiation complications (radiation retinopathy, radiation optic neuropathy, vitreous hemorrhage, and neovascular glaucoma) were analyzed using multivariate Cox regression snalysis. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 33.6 months (range, 12-105.6 months). Radiation retinopathy was associated with younger age, tumor distance to optic nerve <6 mm, and maximum radiation dose to fovea. Radiation optic neuropathy was associated with White race, tumor distance to optic nerve <6 mm, and integral radiation dose. Vitreous hemorrhage was associated with White race and integral radiation dose. Incidence of neovascular glaucoma was low in our study, with 2 patients (0.9%) developing the complication. Of the 123 patients who developed radiation retinopathy, 82 patients (66.7% of radiation retinopathy patients, 37.3% of total patients) received anti-VEGF injections. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found multiple associations between radiation doses and complications as well as visual outcomes on multivariate analysis. Given that the majority of our patients who developed radiation retinopathy received anti-VEGF injections, our study helps to illustrate the course and progression of radiation-induced complications in the new era of anti-VEGF.

Re-treatment of locally recurrent uveal melanoma with repeat eye plaque I-125 brachytherapy: A single institution experience.

PURPOSE: Eye plaque brachytherapy (EPBT) is the most common treatment for uveal melanoma with high local control rates of 95-100%. When local recurrences occur following EPBT, salvage options include enucleation, transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT), external beam radiation, or re-irradiation with EPBT. The purpose of this study is to report our institution's experience with EPBT re-irradiation for locally recurrent uveal melanoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients were included if they were previously treated for uveal melanoma with EPBT, experienced local recurrence, and were subsequently treated at our institution with EPBT from 2016- 2020. RESULTS: A total of 5 patients with median age 68 years were included. All patients were initially treated at an outside institution (OSI) with Iodine-125 or Ruthenium-106 EPBT. Mean time between EPBT at the OSI and EPBT at our facility was 130 months (range 28-231 months). Patients were re-irradiated with Iodine-125 EPBT prescribed to 85 Gy over 168 hours. Median follow up after re-treatment at our center was 24 months. Local control among this cohort was 100%. Metastasis occurred in two patients after re-treatment, at 8 months and 7 months. At last follow up, all treated lesions were decreased in size. Four patients experienced worsening visual acuity. Four patients developed cataracts, while two patients developed radiation retinopathy with cystoid macular edema requiring anti-VEGF injections. One patient developed radiation retinopathy but did not require injections. No patients required enucleation. CONCLUSIONS: Re-treatment of locally recurrent uveal melanomas with EPBT is a feasible alternative to enucleation with a high local control rate. Ocular toxicities have not been significant enough to require enucleation.