[Attempts of orbit irradiation after enucleation of the eye with malignant choroidal melanoma. Part I].

PURPOSE

The problem of orbit irradiation after enucleation of the eye with choroidal melanoma is controversial. We have decided to analyse our own material in order to estimate the effectiveness of this method.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The clinical material comprised 202 patients, 97 women and 105 men, in the age of 15-84 years, whose eyeballs were enucleated because of choroidal melanoma. In 72 patients the orbit was irradiated after enucleation with 60Co applicator (CKA4). The dose was about 50 Gy, 5 mm deep. The height of tumour, its location, histological type, infiltration of the sclera or beyond the eyeball and the treatment of tumour before enucleation were analysed. The follow-up time was 5-20 years.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

The survival time of patients in the age below 30 years (p < 0.05) and of patients with choroidal melanoma of the height above 3 mm (p < 0.01) was significantly longer when the orbit was irradiated. Also the survival time of patients with scleral infiltration and with spindle-cell type of tumour was longer (but statistically not significantly) in those, whose orbits were irradiated after enucleation. Exenteration of the orbit was necessary in 4 cases not irradiated after enucleation, only in 1 case after irradiation. The probability of survival after irradiation of the orbit was significantly higher than in cases not irradiated (0.6971 vs. 0.6219). The estimated mean survival time (in months) was longer, but not significantly, in patients after irradiation of the orbit (197.017 vs. 181.409). We conclude that irradiation of the orbit after enucleation of the eye with choroidal melanoma should be recommended. Further investigations will be continued with collaboration of Institute of Oncology in Cracow.