Cole Eye Institute - Cleveland Clinic

Ocular Oncology Surgery
A melanoma is a primary tumor of the skin or eye. In the eye, it arises from the pigmented cells of the uvea (choroid, ciliary body or iris). Uveal melanoma
of the eye occurs in 4.3 people per million population per year. It almost always occurs in one eye and is more common in fair-skinned, blue-eyed people.
In the past, enucleation was the only treatment for uveal melanoma. In recent years, new methods of treatment have been developed that may be used to
save the eye. At Cole Eye Institute, we have increasingly used radioactive plaque for the treatment of uveal melanoma. From July 2006 through December
2007, we have treated 71 new patients with uveal melanoma, with the majority (89 percent) undergoing plaque radiotherapy.
Treatment of Uveal Melanoma
N = 71
Treatment of Recurrent 11% Uveal Enucleation Melanoma
Plaques containing iodine-125 and ruthenium-106 are used at Cole Eye Institute on a regular basis. If tumors are < 5 mm in height, the ruthenium-106
plaque is preferred. The size of the plaque is determined by the diameter of the tumor.
Over the short term, we have observed initial tumor regression with preservation of vision in almost all cases. However, five patients (6 percent) had
tumors recur, requiring additional treatment with plaque or enucleation.
Treatment of Recurrent Uveal Melanoma
N = 5
40%
Plaque
Radiotherapy
89% Plaque Radiotherapy
60% Enucleation
17 Cole Eye Institute