PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Gragoudas, E S
AU  - Goitein, M
AU  - Seddon, J
AU  - Verhey, L
AU  - Munzenrider, J
AU  - Urie, M
AU  - Suit, H D
AU  - Blitzer, P
AU  - Johnson, K N
AU  - Koehler, A
TI  - Preliminary results of proton beam irradiation of macular and paramacular melanomas.
AID  - 10.1136/bjo.68.7.479
DP  - 1984 Jul 01
TA  - British Journal of Ophthalmology
PG  - 479--485
VI  - 68
IP  - 7
4099  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/68/7/479.short
4100  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/68/7/479.full
SO  - Br J Ophthalmol1984 Jul 01; 68
AB  - Proton beam irradiation has been used for the treatment of 60 eyes with choroidal melanomas located 3 mm or less from the fovea. The average follow-up period was 18 months. 86% of the treated lesions showed regression at the time of this analysis, and the 14% that did not were followed up for less than a year. Visual acuity remained the same in 47% of the treated eyes, improved in 20%, and deteriorated in 33%. 58% of the treated eyes had visual acuity of 20/100 or better at the last follow-up examination. Radiation vasculopathy with macular oedema was the most common complication, and it was observed in 22% of the treated eyes. These preliminary observations suggest that proton beam irradiation may be a reasonable alternative to enucleation even for this group of choroidal melanomas, which is considered unfavourable in respect of the preservation of visual function.