CLINICAL SCIENCES. Retrospective Evaluation of Patients With Uveal Melanoma Treated by Stereotactic Radiosurgery With and Without Tumor Resection

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1 CLINICAL SCIENCES Retrospective Evaluation of Patients With Uveal Melanoma Treated by Stereotactic Radiosurgery With and Without Tumor Resection Daniela Suesskind, MD; Jutta Scheiderbauer, MD; Markus Buchgeister, PhD; Michael Partsch, MD; Wilfried Budach, MD; Karl U. Bartz-Schmidt, MD; Rainer Ritz, MD; Salvatore Grisanti, MD; Frank Paulsen, MD Importance: The present study intended to analyze the suitability of single-dose stereotactic radiotherapy in the treatment of uveal melanoma that cannot be handled with ruthenium-brachytherapy and therefore is a challenge for ophthalmologists concerning local tumor control, as well as preservation of the eye and visual function. Objectives: To evaluate local tumor control, eye preservation, visual course, radiation complications, metastases, and death after single-dose stereotactic radiotherapy (SDRT) applied exclusively or combined with tumor resection in uveal melanomas that are neither suitable nor favorably located for ruthenium brachytherapy. Design: Retrospective, observational case series. Setting: Primary care center. Participants: Seventy-eight patients with uveal melanoma were treated. Intervention: Between June 3, 3, and March,, patients with uveal melanoma received SDRT monotherapy (group, 6 patients) or SDRT combined with tumor resection (group, patients). Radiotherapy was performed with a tumor-surrounding dose of 5 Gy on a linear accelerator. Main Outcome Measures: Local tumor control, eye preservation, visual results, and radiation complications. Results: Within a median follow-up of 33.7 months (range,.3-.3 months), 6 recurrences occurred in group ; none recurred in group. The Kaplan-Meier estimate for local control was 5% at ears in group and % in group (P=.). Eye preservation rate was 77% vs 7% at ears (groups and, respectively) (P=.). Visual acuity decreased with a median loss of Snellen lines (group ) and Snellen lines (group ). More retinopathies (P=.7), opticopathies (P=.7), and rubeotic glaucomas (P=.) occurred in group. No significant difference was observed in the development of metastases (P=.33). The groups differed in overall survival because of deaths occurring shortly after surgery in group for unexplained reasons (P=.6). Conclusions and Relevance: Survival analysis suggested that SDRT with combined tumor resection might be associated with increased tumor control and fewer radiation complications than SDRT as monotherapy. Both groups had similar eye retention rates and were comparable concerning the decrease in visual function in most eyes. However, the protocol was stopped after 3 unexplainable deaths after surgery. JAMA Ophthalmol. 3;3(5): Published online March 4, 3. doi:./jamaophthalmol Author Affiliations: Center for Ophthalmology (Drs Suesskind, Partsch, Bartz-Schmidt, and Grisanti) and Departments of Radiation Oncology (Drs Scheiderbauer, Budach, and Paulsen) and Neurosurgery (Dr Ritz), Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen; Department of Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, Beuth University for Applied Sciences Berlin, Berlin (Dr Buchgeister); and Department of Ophthalmology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck (Dr Grisanti), Germany. IN THE PAST, ENUCLEATION WAS THE only treatment for uveal melanoma (UM) in addition to observation. Eye-preserving treatment strategies (surgery, radiotherapy, and laser treatment) have now become popular. -9 Local tumor control rates currently reach more than 9%.,4-6,,9 Small and medium-sized UMs are usually treated with transpupillary thermotherapy or plaque brachytherapy. However, large UMs are still a therapeutic challenge. Tumor resection can be performed as an eyepreserving modality. However, because of the concerns of potential tumor cell dissemination during surgery and residual melanoma cells in the scleral bed, resection has been combined with irradiation., Radiotherapy of large tumors seems to be associated with increased longterm complications, such as proliferative retinopathy with secondary glaucoma, toxic tumor syndrome, or persistent exudative retinal detachment leading to visual loss or enucleation.,3 Therefore, we planned to investigate the effectiveness of a combined radiotherapeutic and surgical treatment of UM not Author Affi Ophthalmo Partsch, Bar Grisanti) an Radiation O Scheiderbau Paulsen) an Ritz), Eberh Tuebingen, Departmen Physics, and University f Berlin, Berli and Departm Ophthalmo Luebeck, Lu Germany. JAMA OPHTHALMOL/ VOL 3 (NO. 5), MAY 3 63 Downloaded From: on //7 3 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

2 suitable for treatment with ruthenium plaques owing to their size or location. Because single-dose radiation of the OM43 choroidal melanoma cell line resulted in a higher percentage of cell death than did fractionated irradiation, 4 we chose single-dose stereotactic radiotherapy (SDRT) as our approach. Resection of the irradiated tumor was carried out on the basis of the hypothesis that removing the tumor mass would reduce complications. To our knowledge, this is the first report on SDRT performed with a linear accelerator in the treatment of UM. METHODS PATIENTS Originally, we planned an uncontrolled observational study including consecutive patients with UM suitable for SDRT and tumor resection for whom enucleation was the only reasonable therapeutic alternative in our department (UM 6 mm thick, touching the optic disc). Our observation that ruthenium plaques (3-Gy apical dose) in tumors touching the optic disc resulted in an increased risk for local recurrence and opticopathy led us to seek experience with external beam radiotherapy in UM with this unfavorable location. After the unexpected and unexplainable deaths of patients on the day of surgery, the study was discontinued. Thereafter, patients desiring eye preservation received SDRT monotherapy. 5 Tumor resection was added only in cases of severe adverse effects associated with SDRT. After a third unexplainable death shortly after surgery and more than year after SDRT, the whole treatment concept was abandoned. This work is a retrospective report about all patients treated with SDRT in Tuebingen, Germany. The work was conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki as revised in Tokyo and Venice and approved by the local ethics committee. Seventy-eight consecutive patients with primary UM were treated between June 3 and March. Sixty patients underwent SDRT (group ). However, in this group, tumor resection was performed in some patients during the course of the follow-up because of toxic tumor syndrome (n=4), tumor disintegration (n=), or local recurrence (n=) or as a medical indication (n=5). In patients, radiotherapy was combined with tumor resection according to the original study protocol after informed consent was obtained from each patient (group ). SINGLE-DOSE STEREOTACTIC RADIOTHERAPY The SDRT was performed on a 6-MV photon-linear accelerator (Mevatron; Siemens) by rotational arcs with an invasive stereotactic localizer (head ring; Brown-Roberts-Wells). The initially used retrobulbar anesthesia was changed to a functional eye immobilization device formed by a modified swimming mask with a carbon fiber rod assembly to position the light spot of a red light emitting diode (SFH 756; Avago Technologies) via an optical fiber for active fixation by the patient. 6 Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography images (Siemens) achieved with this device were matched in the treatment planning system (XKnife; Radionics). An infrared camera fixed on the treatment couch permitted monitoring of the eye during irradiation. 6 The aimed radiation dose was 5 Gy to the tumor margin with a surrounding isodose between 5% and 9% (efigure; Different isodose distributions were chosen to minimize individual complication probability. TUMOR RESECTION Surgery was performed as described by Damato, 7 with the exception that, in endoresection, the tumor was completely shelled out through an enlarged sclerotomy. Phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation was carried out as standard procedure. No hypotensive anesthesia was administered. Endoresection was performed in posterior and peripheral tumors (n=5). Combined endoresection and exoresection was chosen for tumors with ciliary body involvement (n=4). TUMOR CLASSIFICATION Tumors were categorized according to their location in the eye. These included anterior (ciliary body), anterior and peripheral (anterior to equator with ciliary body involvement), peripheral (anterior to equator), peripheral and posterior (from anterior to equator to posterior pole), and posterior (involved posterior pole near optic disc and macula). Tumors were additionally classified according to the 7th edition of the TNM staging system. Tumor cell type was determined histologically according to the modified Callender classification. 9, VARIABLES Variables reported as patient and tumor characteristics were age, sex, side of the tumor-bearing eye, visual acuity (VA) before treatment, tumor location, distance to the optic disc and macula, tumor thickness, largest basal diameter (LBD), TNM classification, TNM stages, and histologic cell type. Treatment variables were therapy group, surrounding tumor dose, and surrounding isodose. Primary end points were relapse-free survival and eye preservation rate. Secondary end points were final VA, loss of VA (Snellen lines), occurrence of complications, and metastases-free and total survival. Visual acuity was assessed by using the Snellen VA cards. For statistical analysis, the VA values were converted into the logmar system. Three continuous or discrete variables were grouped in categories for analyzing subgroups: tumor thickness (-6. mm, mm, mm, and 5. mm), LBD (-. mm,.-. mm, and. mm), and final VA ( /4, /5-/, and /). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Commercial software (SPSS, version 7.; SPSS, Inc) was used. Categorical data are reported as numbers and percentages, discrete data as medians with ranges, and continuous data as means (SDs). Variable balance between groups and was determined by univariate variance analysis (discrete and continuous data) or tests (categorical data). Survival data were calculated using Kaplan-Meier tests and described as percentages at, 3, and ears after therapy, together with 95% CIs and patients at risk, and significance of univariate subgroup analyses were tested by log-rank test (log-rank test for trends in TNM). Visual outcome was described as the median change of Snellen lines as well as the outcome with respect to the VA categories /4 or better, /5-/, and worse than /. Correlations of distance to the optic disc or macula to loss of Snellen lines were analyzed by calculating the rank correlation coefficient due to the Kendall. All data were regarded as explorative. No level of significance was set in advance; thus, the P values reported are merely descriptive. JAMA OPHTHALMOL/ VOL 3 (NO. 5), MAY 3 63 Downloaded From: on //7 3 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

3 Table. Patient and Tumor Characteristics in the Radiotherapy Group () and Combined Treatment Group (Group ) a Characteristic (n = 6) Group (n = ) P Value Age, median (range), y 65 (6-6) 6 (7-77) Sex, No. Male b Female 3 4 Eye, No. Right 3 7 Left 9 Visual acuity, median (range) /5 (/-LP) UM location, No. Anterior 5 Anterior-peripheral Peripheral 7 7 Peripheral-posterior 4 Posterior 4 Distance to optic disc, No. Disc contact 3 DD 4 6 DD 4 9 Distance to macula, No. Macula involvement 4 4 DD 6 DD 3 Ciliary body involvement, No. Yes 5 No 49 3 Tumor thickness, mm Mean (SD) 7.3 (3.3) Median (range) 6.5 (.-.) LBD, mm Mean (SD).9 (3.5) /5 (/-/).3 (.5).4 (5.6-.) 4. (3.) 4.55 (7.-9.6) Median (range). ( ) TNM size, No. T 9 T 5 T3 T4 3 TNM stage, No. A 5 B 7 7 3A 5 3B 5 Cell type, No. Spindle 3 9 Mixed 9 Epithelioid 7 Not determined 4 Metastases at diagnosis, No. Yes No 59 7 Follow-up, median (range), mo d 34.7 (3.-.) 3. (.-.).4 c.3 c. c Abbreviations: DD, disc diameter; LBD, largest basal diameter; LP, light perception; UM, uveal melanoma. a Data on some patients were missing. b test. c Univariate variance analysis. d Time between radiotherapy and last visit. RESULTS PATIENT AND TUMOR CHARACTERISTICS Median age was 64 years (range, 7-6 years). Mean (SD) tumor thickness was 7.55 (.77) mm, and LBD was 3.6 (3.47) mm. Two UMs were stage IV. In 6 patients the primary treatment was SDRT monotherapy (group ); in patients SDRT was followed by planned resection of the tumor (group ), with a mean time interval of 4. (3.3) days. The tumor-surrounding dose was 5 Gy in 77 patients and Gy in patient. Median follow-up of the patients was 33.7 months (range,.3-.3 months). Data for each group are reported in Table, and a summary of the studies investigating radiotherapy is presented in Table. LOCAL TUMOR CONTROL AND ENUCLEATION Six clinically evident progressions in 6 patients occurred during the follow-up, all of them in group (etext). The Kaplan-Meier estimate for local tumor control in the total collective was 95% (95% CI, 9%- %) at years and % at ears (95% CI, 7%- 97%), with no further recurrences. Local tumor control at and ears in group was 94% and 5%, and in group, % and % (log-rank test, P =.), respectively (Figure, A). Sixteen treated eyes were enucleated, 3 in group and 3 in group. Enucleation was performed because of tumor recurrence (n = 5), toxic tumor syndrome (n = ), rubeotic glaucoma (n = 5), tumor disintegration (n = ), retinopathy (n = ), expulsive hemorrhage (n = ), hypotonia bulbi (n = ), and phthisis bulbi (n = ). The Kaplan-Meier estimate for eye preservation for the whole collective was 7% (95% CI, 79%-95%) at years and 79% (95% CI, 69%-9%) at ears; in group, 7% at years and 77% at ears; and in group, 7% at years and 7% at ears (log-rank test, P =.; Figure, B), respectively. In the univariate analysis, eyes with tumors involving the ciliary body (P =.5), LBD more than mm (P =.5), T4 size category tumors (P =.3), persistent exudation (P =.4), or rubeotic glaucoma (P =.3) were associated with a higher frequency of enucleation. Significantly more radiation complication (RC) related enucleations were performed in patients with anterior tumors (P =.), as well as in those who received the tumorsurrounding dose at the % isodose (P =.4), experienced persistent exudation (P =.3), or developed rubeotic glaucoma (P.). More surgery-related enucleations (ie, expulsive hemorrhage, persistent hypotonia, or painful phthisis bulbi) were performed in tumors with ciliary body involvement (P =.). VISUAL ACUITY Sixty-six patients had a decline in VA, 4 experienced no change, and 5 developed an improvement at the end of the follow-up period. A median of Snellen lines were lost (range, 4 to ). One of the 3 patients with a JAMA OPHTHALMOL/ VOL 3 (NO. 5), MAY 3 63 Downloaded From: on //7 3 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

4 Table. Summary of Studies Investigating Radiotherapy of Uveal Melanoma Source Dunavoelgyi et al, 4 Dieckmann et al, 7 Emara et al, 4 Muller et al, 3 5 Haas et al, 3 Langmann et al, 4 Modorati et al, 5 9 Simonová et al, 6 Fakiris et al, 7 7 Zehetmayer et al, Conway et al, 6 Dendale et al, 9 6 Egger et al, 3,3, 3 Gragoudas et al, 3 Höcht et al, 33 4 Puusaari et al, 34,35 3, 4 Shields et al, 36 No. of Patients, Therapy Dose, FSR Gy, 5; % 5, FSR Gy, (5 fractions), 4 (5 fractions); %, FSR Gy, 7; 9% or 95% 3, FSR Gy, 5; % 3, GKR Gy, 4-; NI 6, GKR Gy, 5-7; 5%-% 7, GKR Gy, 35, 4, 5; 5%, GKR Gy, -76.5; NI 9, GKR Gy, 4; 5% 6, GKR Gy, 45-7; 5% Tumor Thickness, mm 4. LBD, mm. Follow-up, mo 64.5 NI NI (Mean) (Mean) (Mean). (Mean) Outcome, % (y) a Local Control Eye Preservation 95.9 (5) 7.6 (5) Retinopathy, NI; opticopathy, NI; NVG, NI 9 6 Retinopathy, 44; opticopathy, 4; NVG, Retinopathy, 3; opticopathy, 37; NVG, 4 (Mean) 97.4 Retinopathy, 5; opticopathy, 9; NVG, 5 3 (Mean) 97 7 Retinopathy, 4; opticopathy, NI; NVG, Retinopathy, NI; opticopathy, ; NVG, 35 NI Retinopathy, 3.5; opticopathy, 5.5; NVG,.7 NI 3 4 NI Retinopathy, NI; opticopathy,.3; NVG, (Mean) 4. (Mean), PBRT Gy, 56.6 (Mean).7 (Mean) 46, PBRT 435, 64, PBRT 69, PBRT 9, PBRT Gy, Gy, ; 5. Gy, Gy, , IB Gy, 7 ; apex 354, IB Gy, ; apex (5) 94 (5) Retinopathy, NI; opticopathy, ; NVG,.3 9 (Time not reported) Radiation Adverse Effects, % (y) a Visual Acuity (y) a Survival, % (y) a 3 (3) Retinopathy, 7.3; opticopathy, 9.; NVG,.3 67 () 54 () Retinopathy, 9.5; opticopathy, 9.5; NVG, (5) 9.3 (5) Retinopathy, 66.5 (maculopathy); opticopathy, 3.4; NVG,.6 4-6; 6 4 ; (Mean) 44 (median) (5); 94. ().9 (5); 6. () Retinopathy, NI; opticopathy, NI; NVG, NI 95 (5) 4 (5) Retinopathy, NI; opticopathy, NI; NVG, NI Baseline: /4 (median); final: hand motion (median) 4.6 (5); overall, 9. (5) Baseline: NI; final: NI 9; overall, 9 Baseline: / (median); final: counting fingers (median) Baseline: / (mean); final: /3 (mean) Baseline: % /4; final: 7% /4 97; 97; overall, 67 94; Baseline: NI; final: NI 5; Baseline: /63 (median); final: no light perception Baseline: NI; final: NI Baseline: NI; final: NI Baseline: 56.% /; final: % / Baseline: % /; final: 5% / Baseline:.5% /; final: 54.% / Baseline: NI; final: NI Baseline: /4 (median); final: 4% / (3) 7.5 (3) Retinopathy, 55.7 (3); opticopathy, 59. (3); glaucoma,.9 (3) Baseline: NI; final: NI 4 94 (5) 4 (5) Retinopathy, 59 (5); Baseline: / opticopathy, 53 (5); (median); final: light NVG, 66 (5) perception (median) 9. (5); overall,.9 (5) NI; overall, (5); overall, 6 (5) 5 (3); overall, 4 (3) 9 (); overall, 9 ().6 (5); overall, 79. (5) NI; overall, 7.6 (controlled tumors, ), 47.5 (recurrent tumors, ) NI; NI; NI; overall, 6 (5) NI 9 (5) 76 (5) Retinopathy, 6 (5); Baseline: 7 opticopathy, (5); % /; final: (5); NVG, (5) 57% / (5) Abbreviations: FSR, fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy; GKR, gamma knife radiosurgery; IB, iodine brachytherapy; LBD, largest basal diameter; NI, not indicated; NVG, neovascular glaucoma; PBRT, proton beam radiotherapy. a Parenthetical data indicate the time point (in years) of the outcome measurement. VA of /4 or better and of the 63 patients with a VA of / or better maintained this level. In group, this level was retained in of the 5 patients (4%) with a VA of /4 or better and of the 4 patients (3%) with VA of / or better. In group, none of the patients with a VA of /4 or better and of the 5 patients (7%) JAMA OPHTHALMOL/ VOL 3 (NO. 5), MAY Downloaded From: on //7 3 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

5 A. Group B... Group.6.4. P = PaR, % (95% CI) Group PaR Group, % (95% CI) Time to Relapse or Last Visit, mo y 4 94 (-) (73-96) 5 (73-96) P = PaR, % (95% CI) Group PaR Group, % (95% CI) Time to Enucleation or Last Visit, mo y 4 7 (7-96) 9 7 (7-4) 5 77 (65-9) 7 (7-4) 66 (47-5) 6 77 (5-) C. D Group. P = PaR, % (95% CI) Group PaR Group, % (95% CI) Time to Retinopathy or Last Visit, mo y 5 5 (44-7) 7 (55-5) 3 3 (4-53) 6 (55-5) 35 (-5) 3 64 (3-9)..6.4 Group. P = PaR, % (95% CI) Group PaR Group, % (95% CI) Time to Opticopathy or Last Visit, mo y 3 76 (64-) 9 (7-9) 63 (4-7) 7 9 (7-9) 5 (4-75) 5 75 (44-6) E Group. P = PaR, % (95% CI) Group PaR Group, % (95% CI) Time to Rubeotic Glaucoma or Last Visit, mo y 33 (69-9) (66-9) 7 (66-9) 6 F Group. P = PaR, % (95% CI) Group PaR Group, % (95% CI) Time to Death or Last Contact, mo y 4 93 (7-) 3 73 (5-94) 3 9 (3-99) 67 (45-9) 3 4 (73-96) 67 (45-9) Figure. Kaplan-Meier plots with Kaplan-Meier estimate, 95% CI, and patients at risk (PaR) at, 3, and ears. A, Relapse-free survival. B, Eye preservation. C, Radiation retinopathy. D, Radiation opticopathy. E, Rubeotic glaucoma. F, Overall survival. with a VA of / or better retained this level. Patients in group experienced a median loss of Snellen lines (range, 4 to ); in group, the median loss of Snellen lines was (range, 3 to ) (Table 3). Mean loss of Snellen lines at the end of the follow-up decreased with increasing distance to the optic disc. Mean loss was 3 in tumors with disc contact, in UM of disc diameters or less, and 6 with more than disc JAMA OPHTHALMOL/ VOL 3 (NO. 5), MAY Downloaded From: on //7 3 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

6 Table 3. VA Levels Before and After Treatment Pretherapeutic VA /4 /5-/ / /4 (3) 3 () 7 (7) /5-/ (6) 6 (9) 4 (75) / () () (3) Abbreviation: VA, visual acuity. Posttherapeutic VA, No. (%) Table 4. Details of Patients Who Died During Follow-up a Patient Group Enucleation Metastases Time Between SDRT and Last Contact, mo Reason for Death No Yes 4.9 Metastases Yes NK. NK 3 No NK 4.9 NK 4 No Yes 4.5 Metastases 5 No Yes 36.7 Metastases 6 No No 5.7 NK 7 b No No 3.3 OR c No Yes 6.7 Metastases 9 No Yes. Metastases b No No.3 Acute cor pulmonale No Yes. Metastases b No No. OR d 3 No NK 4. NK Abbreviations: NK, not known; OR, other reasons; SDRT, single-dose stereotactic radiotherapy. a None of the patients experienced tumor recurrence. b Died on the day of surgery. c No autopsy report available. d Autopsy refused by the relatives. diameters of distance from the optic disc (Kendall -b, P =.5). No association between mean loss of Snellen lines and distance to the macula was found. RADIATION COMPLICATIONS Fifty-seven patients (73%) had detectable RCs, opticopathy occurred in 9 patients (4%), 33 patients (4%) had retinopathy, patients (3%) developed macula edema, and exudation persisted in 4 patients (5%). In 5 cases (6%), keratopathy occurred. In group patients (%), cataract was visible. Neovascular glaucoma developed in patients (5%). One patient (%) reported eyelash loss. Three patients (4%) had pronounced dry eye problems. In 9 patients (5%) in group, tumor disintegration occurred, and in 5 patients (%), toxic tumor syndrome occurred. The Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed no significant differences between groups and in RCs but suggested a higher frequency of retinopathy, opticopathy, and rubeotic glaucoma in group (Figure, C-E). METASTASIS-FREE AND OVERALL SURVIVAL Eighteen patients (4 in group and 4 in group ) developed metastases after a median of months. Two patients had metastases at the time of therapy. In patients no assessment was made. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis of metastasis after SDRT, 5% (95% CI, 76%-94%) of all patients were free of metastases after years, 76% (95% CI, 65%-7%) after ears, and 7% (95% CI, 59%-3%) after ears. The Kaplan- Meier estimate for metastasis-free survival was 3% (95% CI, 7%-94%) at years and 73% (95% CI, 6%-6%) at 3 years in group. In group, these estimates were 9% (95% CI, 7%-7%) at years and 5% (95% CI, 65%-4%) at ears (log-rank test, P =.33). Regarding different patient and tumor characteristics, only cell type showed an influence on the occurrence of metastases, with worse prognosis in epithelioid and mixed-cell tumors (P =.). Sixty-five patients (3%) were alive at the end of the follow-up period, 3 died during follow-up (6 resulting from metastases; 3, other reasons; and 4, unknown) (Table 4). The Kaplan-Meier estimate for overall survival was 93% at years and 9% at ears in group and 73% at years and 67% at ears in group (log-rank test, P =.6) (Figure, F). The only variable that influenced survival was the development of metastasis (P =.). No association between the TNM stage and metastasis-free survival (P =.) or overall survival (P =.4) was seen. The Kaplan-Meier estimate for melanoma-specific survival was 9% at ears for group and % for group. COMMENT Local tumor control at ears was 5% for SDRT monotherapy and % for combined therapy. The 6 tumor recurrences in group appeared within the first ears (mean,.6 months). The SDRT monotherapy tended JAMA OPHTHALMOL/ VOL 3 (NO. 5), MAY Downloaded From: on //7 3 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

7 to be less able to destroy all tumor cells. In other studies 4,-3 reporting results after fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy, local tumor control between 95.9% and % was achieved (Table ). However, in these series, the tumors being treated were much smaller than were those in our analysis. Tumor volume might be important, since larger tumors contain more radiation-resistant cells, or there may be a different control resulting from various intratumoral dose distribution. However, none of those studies 4,-3 investigated whether specific tumor or radiation criteria influenced local tumor control. In addition, dose fractionation might influence the results. Experimental data from Logani et al 4 indicating the superiority of a single dose to a fractionated dose seem to be questionable in patients. Local tumor control after radiosurgery with a gamma knife is reported 3,4-7 to be between 4% and 97%. It is striking that all studies with smaller UMs revealed better control rates. 3,4,5,7 Simonová et al, 6 while treating tumors with a median thickness of.5 mm, had a similar local control of 4%. Only Zehetmayer et al, using to 3 fractions of gamma knife irradiation, indicated better local control of 9% in larger tumors with a mean thickness of 7. mm. Proton beam radiotherapy (PBRT) of UM has local tumor control rates between 94.% and 96% Likewise in these studies, tumor thickness was less, thus explaining the better outcome. Conway et al achieved local tumor control of 67% after years of PBRT of extra-large UMs (T4 size category UM with mean LBD =.7 mm). Our local tumor control rate of 5% with SDRT monotherapy fell between those percentages for smaller tumors 9-33 and that for extra-large tumors. In iodine brachytherapy studies, local tumor control was 94% and 9% at ears despite treatment of larger tumors The eye preservation rate was 77% at ears in group and 7% in group. The most frequent reasons for enucleation were tumor progression and neovascular glaucoma. The fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy studies 4,-3 reported eye preservation rates between 7.6% and 97.4%. In gamma knife therapy, eye preservation was successful in 7% to 94% of patients 3,4- ; the incidence with PBRT therapy was 54% to 9.3%,9-33 and, with iodine brachytherapy, 76% to 4%. 34,36 These numbers are comparable with our results. The difference in enucleation frequency in different studies seems, among other things, to be affected especially by tumor size and tumor location, leading to variable percentages of neovascular glaucoma. Hirasawa et al 37 have shown that radiation doses of 5 Gy equivalent or more to the iris ciliary body and irradiation of the optic disc are significant risk factors for the development of neovascular glaucoma. In the cited articles, 4,,3,-36 the most common reasons for enucleation were tumor recurrence and neovascular glaucoma. A substantial decline in VA occurred in both treatment groups, especially in group. The preoperative VA of all patients in group was better than /. Only patient maintained that level postoperatively; all other patients had a VA worse than /. This loss of vision was also reported in other studies analyzing alternative forms of UM radiotherapy.* *References 4,, 3,, 3, 5,, 9, 3, Kaplan-Meier plots suggest that more patients in group developed RC, especially retinopathy, opticopathy, and rubeotic glaucoma. Thus, we assume that tumor resection decreases the risk of RC by removing RCpromoting cells in the tumor mass; in this way, it is protective against the development of RC. In the fractionated stereotactic radiation studies of Dieckmann et al and Emara et al, fewer patients developed retinopathy and more patients developed opticopathy. The rate of neovascular glaucoma in the case series of Emara et al was similar to ours, probably because of the exclusive juxtapapillary location of the UM in the Emara et al study. With regard to gamma knife radiotherapy, a high proportion of patients had retinopathy (4%) and neovascular glaucoma (47%) in the study by Haas et al. 3 Langmann et al 4 reported neovascular glaucoma in 35% of their patients. The higher radiation doses used could be responsible for the increased complication rates despite smaller tumors in comparison with those in our treatment population. Even with PBRT, high percentages of radiation retinopathy, 9,33 opticopathy, 9,33 and neovascular glaucoma developed,9 despite smaller tumors treated in the studies of Dendale et al 9 and Höcht et al. 33 Iodine brachytherapy caused retinopathy more frequently than in our study, and opticopathy and neovascular glaucoma rates were similar or even higher than in other investigations. 35,36 The Kaplan-Meier estimate for metastasis-free survival at ears was 73% in group and 5% in group. Metastasis-free survival achieved with differing interventions was 4.6% to 97% in fractionated stereotactic radiation studies, 4,-3 65% to 9% in gamma knife studies, 3,4,5,7,.6% to 9% in studies using PBRT,,9 and 7% in a study of iodine brachytherapy. 36 On the other hand, a reliable comparison of the different studies with regard to the effect of the treatment on the development of metastasis has limitations because none of the cited studies provided information about monosomy 3 or class expression profile of the tumors. In addition, we know that the development of metastasis in the first years after the treatment of the primary tumor is the result of pretreatment dissemination. 3 The Kaplan-Meier estimate for metastasis-free survival of 65% at ears in the study by Fakiris et al 7 is striking because tumor sizes were small. However, a high percentage of monosomy 3 tumors in the treated population may be responsible for the high metastasis rate at ears. In group, 9% of the patients were alive at ears; the incidence in group was 67%. This difference was caused by the treatment protocol related deaths shortly after surgery in group. In conclusion, the combined treatment approach using SDRT and tumor resection achieved better local tumor control and fewer RCs than SDRT alone, but we must consider the treatment protocol related deaths resulting in a higher survival rate in group. The rates of local control, eye preservation, and RCs in our study are similar to those achieved in studies of comparable UMs. Submitted for Publication: April 6, ; final revision received August 3, ; accepted August 4,. Published Online: March 4, 3. doi:. /jamaophthalmol JAMA OPHTHALMOL/ VOL 3 (NO. 5), MAY Downloaded From: on //7 3 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

8 Correspondence: Daniela Suesskind, MD, Center for Ophthalmology, Schleichstrasse -6, Eberhard Karls University of Tuebingen, 776 Tuebingen, Germany Author Contributions: Drs Grisanti and Paulsen contributed equally to the work. Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None reported. Online-Only Material: The etext and efigure are available at REFERENCES. Gündüz K, Bechrakis NE. Exoresection and endoresection for uveal melanoma. Middle East Afr J Ophthalmol. ;7(3):-6.. Kurt RA, Gündüz K. Exoresection via partial lamellar sclerouvectomy approach for uveal tumors: a successful performance by a novice surgeon. Clin Ophthalmol. ;4: Karkhaneh R, Chams H, Amoli FA, et al. Long-term surgical outcome of posterior choroidal melanoma treated by endoresection. Retina. 7;7(7): Dunavoelgyi R, Dieckmann K, Gleiss A, et al. Local tumor control, visual acuity, and survival after hypofractionated stereotactic photon radiotherapy of choroidal melanoma in patients treated between 997 and 7. 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