Radiation therapy for uveal malignant melanoma.

The treatment of uveal melanoma is controversial. The treatment methods include enucleation and other techniques designed to preserve the eye, such as local resection, plaque radiotherapy, charged particle radiotherapy, laser photocoagulation, and thermotherapy. Plaque radiotherapy and charged particle radiotherapy provide tumor control and patient survival comparable with enucleation. Plaque radiotherapy may be associated with fewer anterior segment complications, but the posterior segment complications appear to be similar using either plaque radiotherapy or charged particle radiotherapy. Thermotherapy is emerging as an important adjuvant treatment to maintain control of uveal melanoma after radiotherapy.