Robotic radiosurgery for the treatment of medium and large uveal melanoma

The aim of the study was to analyze the local efficacy and eye retention rate after frameless, image-guided robotic radiosurgery against uveal melanoma. A total of 217 patients, mostly with medium and large unilateral uveal melanomas (3% small, 62% medium, and 35% large) were treated. The median age was 64 years (range 21-95 years). All patients underwent a single-session procedure beginning with retrobulbar anesthesia, followed by MRI and computerized tomography scanning to generate the treatment plan. The tumor dose was 18-22 Gy (mean, 20.3 Gy) prescribed to the 70% isodose line. Follow-up occurred at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months and yearly thereafter with clinical, ultrasound, and MRI studies. The median follow-up time was 26.4 months. All patients were treated in the frameless setup within 3 h. The actuarial 3- and 5-year eye retention rates were 86.7 and 73%, respectively. Local control at 3 and 5 years was 87.4 and 70.8%, respectively. Serviceable vision was maintained in 30.9% of patients at last follow-up. Treatment-induced glaucoma developed in 33 patients at a median 20.8 months (range, 5.8-54.0 months). Other adverse effects were hemorrhage (26 patients) and macular edema (seven patients). Frameless, single-session, image-guided robotic radiosurgery is an effective and straightforward treatment option for patients with medium and large uveal melanoma that are otherwise difficult to treat.