Experiences of two different modalities in the management of choroidal melanoma in the Asian Indian population

Background: Choroidal malignant melanoma is a rare intraocular cancer in Asian Indian population. There is a paucity of data from our population comparing iodine 125 (I-125) brachytherapy and enucleation.

Aim: This study aims to compare two groups of choroidal melanoma patients treated with either I-125 brachytherapy or enucleation in the Asian Indian population.

Objectives: To evaluate the long-term morbidity and mortality rates in choroidal melanoma patients treated with either I-125 brachytherapy or enucleation.

Methods: It is a retrospective study involving forty four eyes, diagnosed with choroidal melanoma from May 2008 to February 2015. All were evaluated preoperatively for metastasis. Twenty-two underwent globe salvaging I-125 brachytherapy surgery whereas remaining 22 underwent globe destructive primary enucleation procedure.

Results: At a mean follow-up 39 months, 2 of 22 cases (9%) died in the brachytherapy group. One was secondary to metastasis in the liver while the other case died of a natural cause. In the enucleation group also, there were two deaths (9%) secondary to metastasis. The metastasis free survival was 95% in the brachytherapy group and 91% in the enucleation group, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.3577). Kaplan-Meier survival at 3 years and 5 years was 95% and 89% for brachytherapy group and 94% and 89% for enucleation group.

Conclusion: This study found no difference in the long-term survival of choroidal melanoma patients treated with either brachytherapy or enucleation in the Asian Indian eyes.