Choroidal melanoma treatment by endoresection

To report choroidal melanoma treatment by endoresection.

Material and methods: A retrospective review of a series of 2 patients with choroidal melanoma that did not meet the criteria for brachytherapy. Both patients were treated by tumor endoresection supported by brachytherapy. Outcome measures included preoperative and postoperative visual acuity at 1, 3, 6 months. Preoperative evaluation included tumor measurements in ultrasound. Systemic evaluation (liver function test, chest x ray, abdominal ultrasound), was carried out to monitor possible metastases in the observation period.

Results: The two operated patients were followed-up for 6 months. Visual acuity deteriorated from 5/16 (0.51 logMAR) preoperatively to 5/25 (0.7 logMAR) postoperatively in patient 1, and improved from 3/50 (1.22 logMAR) do 5/25 (0.7 logMAR) in patient 2. This corresponded to deterioration by 0.19 logMAR and improvement by 0.52 logMAR respectively. Neither tumor recurrence nor metastases were detected in the follow-up period.

Conclusions: Endoresection is a treatment option, alternative to enucleation, that can conserve the eye It sometimes can be performed in eyes that are not eligible for trans-scleral resection. Further larger studies are needed to establish the efficacy of this still controversial surgery.