Clinical Features and Initial Management Outcomes of Uveal Melanomas in a Single Tertiary Center in Egypt

Abstract

Introduction: We aimed to report the demographic data, clinical features, and management outcomes of patients with uveal melanoma (UM) in a single tertiary center in Egypt.

Methods: This is a single-center retrospective case series. Patients with UM who were managed at Cairo University Ocular Oncology Service between January 2019 and December 2023 were included. Records were analyzed for patients' demographics, clinical features and different management options. Outcomes included changes in best corrected visual acuity and tumor dimensions (thickness and largest base diameter), perioperative complications, globe salvage, and recurrence rates.

Results: A total of 93 eyes of 93 patients with UM were treated in our service over a period of 5 years. The mean age of patients was 52.18 ± 13.30 years, and 91.4% of tumors were choroidal or ciliochoroidal. 52 eyes (55.91%) were managed with ruthenium-106 episcleral brachytherapy, of which two eyes required additional brachytherapy, 8 eyes ended with secondary enucleation, and the globe was salvaged in 84.62% of eyes. 8 eyes (8.60%) were managed by gamma knife radiosurgery with or without endoresection. One eye with an iridociliary tumor was managed with partial lamellar sclerouvectomy, and the remaining 32 eyes (34.41%) were primarily enucleated.

Conclusion: Timely referral channels and accurate assessment of cases with UM are invaluable for achievement of higher success rates in tumor regression, as well as globe and/or vision salvage in eyes managed with brachytherapy. Patients with more advanced tumors should be counseled on the importance of more invasive options such as enucleation in achieving lower metastasis and mortality rates.

Keywords: Egypt; Enucleation; Gamma knife radiosurgery; Management outcomes; Ruthenium-106 brachytherapy; Uveal melanoma.