SUMMARY
Thirty choroidal melanoma patients were treated with brachy therapy (Cobalt-60. Iodine-125 and Iridium-192 episcleral plaques) and followed up for about 32.7 months.
A useful vision was obtained in 100% of patients.
The tumors height reduced in 66.6% of patients with a decreasing mean rate of about 44.5%.
After treatment the visual acuity improved in 20% of patients and worsened in 66.6%.
Retinal detachment associated to the tumor was present at diagnosis in 56.5% of patients. After therapy we observed a reduction or a total resolution of the detachment in 64.7% of cases.
Sixty percent of patients developed one or more complications during the follow up period.
Radiation retinopaty was observed in 16.6% of patients, hemorrhages were found in 16.6%, and cataract in 13.3%.
The survival rate was 100%. No patients developed metastatic disease in their follow up period.