Objective To observe the different clinical response patterns of uveal melanoma (UM) patients after external scleral plaque radiotherapy (PRT), and to investigate the risk factors of secondary enucleation after treatment failure. MethodsA single-centre retrospective study. Demographic baseline characteristics and clinical data were collected from 465 UM patients treated with 125I external scleral PRT at Beijing Tongren Hospital from March 2011 to September 2017. Among them, 217 were male and 248 were female, tumor all occurred monocularly. The mean age of subjects was 46.7±12.1 years. Reasons for secondary enucleation included local tumor treatment failure, glaucoma, scleral necrosis and patient request. Tumor grading was based on the grading standards established by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). The pattern of tumor response after PRT was classified as degenerated type, growth type, stable type or other types according to literature criteria. The median follow-up time after PRT was 59 months to observe tumor changes. Complete follow-up records of 3 or more color doppler ultrasound imaging (CDI) was available in 245 cases. A t-test was performed to compare the patient's age, intraocular pressure, best corrected visual acuity, tumor thickness and maximum basal diameter before treatment; a chi-square test was performed to compare the patient's gender, AJCC T classification of the tumor, whether the ciliary body was involved, presence of subretinal fluid, optic disc invasion and vitreous hemorrhage, tumor shape and location. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to estimate the cumulative probability of secondary enucleation after extra-scleral PRT. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between tumor characteristics and secondary enucleation after extra-scleral PRT. ResultsAmong 465 patients, eecondary enucleation was performed on 78 (16.8%, 78/465) patients during the follow-up period. The 1, 3 and 5 year secondary enucleation rates were 5.4%, 9.3% and 17.1%, respectively. Eye preservation was successful in 387 cases (83.2%, 387/465). Patients treated by secondary enucleation had a larger maximum basal diameter of tumor, a higher proportion of irregular and diffuse morphology, a cumulative macular involved and a higher AJCC T classification, the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05). There were 115, 76, 27, and 27 cases of degenerated type, stable type, growth type, and other type, respectively. The tumor thickness of the growth type and other types was significantly smaller than that of the degenerated type and the stable type, and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05). Univariate Cox analysis showed that the maximum basal diameter of the tumor (HR=1.19), tumor thickness (HR=1.08), AJCC T classification (HR=1.90), growth type response pattern (relative to degenerated type response pattern) (HR=4.20) was associated with failure of eye preservation (P＜0.05). In the multivariate Cox analysis, the largest tumor basal diameter (HR=1.24) and the growth type response pattern (relative to the degenerated type response pattern) (HR=4.59) were still associated with failure of eye preservation (P＜0.05). ConclusionsThe tumor thickness of UM patients with growing and other response patterns after PRT is smaller before treatment; the maximum basal diameter of the tumor and the growing response pattern are independent risk factors for secondary enucleation.
Objective To investigate the histopathological characteristics of choroidal melanoma. Methods The histopathological data from 64 patients with choroidal melanoma were analyzed retrospectively. The tumor size and the cytological types were observed and detected. The locations of the tumor were classified according to the involved part invaded by the anterior margine of the tumor, and the degrees of the development of the tumor were graded according to the extent of the outward infiltration of the tumor cells. Results In 64 patients with choroidal melanoma, There were large, medium, and small tumors in 25(39.1%), 31(48.4%), and 8(12.5%) respectively. The spindle cell type was found in 42 patients (65.6%) including spindle cell A and B type in 15(23.4%) and 27(42.3%) respectively; epithelioid and mixed cell type was found in 7(10.9%) and 10(15.6%) respectively; the other types were found in 5(7.8%). Twenty-five cases（39.1％）had no invasion with sclera, 22（34.4％）had but limited to sclera, 12（18.8％）penetrated through sclera and 5（7.8％）had intra-orbit infiltration. Conclusion The histopathological characteristics of choroidal melanoma are multiple, and spindle cell type is the most common one. The choroidal melanoma can easily invade the sclera. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2006, 22: 161-165)
Intraocular tumors is a serious blinding eye disease, which has a serious impact on patients' vision and even life. At present, the main treatments include surgical treatment, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, laser therapy and combination therapy. In recent years, with the wide application of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the treatment of ocular diseases, many studies have confirmed that anti-VEGF drugs play an important auxiliary role in the treatment of intraocular tumors and its complications. In terms of the therapeutic effect, intravitreal anti-VEGF combined with other methods have a good prognosis in the treatment of choroidal metastatic carcinoma and retinoblastoma, while the therapeutic effect of uveal melanoma is still controversial. In the treatment of intraocular tumor complications, intravitreal anti-VEGF also has a good effect on the secondary lesions of choroidal osteoma and radiation retinopathy. As for drug safety, intravitreal anti-VEGF can significantly reduce the toxic and side effects of systemic chemotherapeutic therapy. However, the dosage and medication regimen of anti-VEGF drugs in the treatment of intraocular tumors and their complications have not been unified in current studies, and further basic and clinical trials are still needed to explore in the future.