Vision following helium ion radiotherapy of uveal melanoma: A Northern California oncology group study

• Published in: International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics Vol. 15; no. 2; pp. 347 - 352
• Main Authors: Linstadt, D., Char, D.H., Castro, J.R., Phillips, T.L., Quivey, J.M., Reimers, M., Hannigan, J., Collier, J.M.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.08.1988; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Charged particle radiotherapy; Helium; Helium ion radiotherapy; Humans; Ions; Medical sciences; Melanoma - radiotherapy; Ophthalmology; Tumors and pseudotumors of the eye, orbit, eyelid, lacrimal apparatus; Uveal melanoma; Uveal Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Vision outcome; Visual Acuity - radiation effects; Uveal melanoma; Vision outcome; Charged particle radiotherapy; Helium ion radiotherapy; Human; Eye disease; Prognosis; Uvea; Vision; Malignant melanoma; Visual acuity; Tumor; Helium; Radiotherapy
• ISSN: 0360-3016; 1879-355X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0360-3016(98)90014-1

One hundred eighty-six uveal melanoma patients were treated with helium ion radiotherapy at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and followed for at least 6 months. (Follow-up times ranged from 6 to 90 months; median 26.4 months.) At last examination, 92 of 186 patients (49%) had visual acuity of 20/200 or better in the treated eye. Univariate statistical analysis revealed that post-treatment vision correlated with tumor size, distance between tumor and optic disc, distance between tumor and fovea, pretreatment visual acuity, dose delivered to the optic disc, and dose delivered to the fovea ( p < .05). Neither the maximum tumor dose nor site of tumor origin (ciliary body vs. choroid) correlated with post-treatment vision on a univariate basis. However, multivariate statistical analysis revealed that the strongest independent risk factors influencing vision outcome ( p < .05) were tumor size, pretreatment visual acuity, tumor-fovea distance, and maximum tumor dose. Neither the fovea dose nor the dose to optic disc appeared to significantly affect vision outcome when other variables were taken into account. These results suggest that post-treatment visual acuity of 20 200 or better can be achieved in one-half of uveal melanoma patients treated using helium ion irradiation. Several independent risk factors affecting vision outcome have been identified.