Recently Published Important Information
ASSOCIATION OF HIGH METABOLIC ACTIVITY MEASURED BY POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY WITH POOR PROGNOSIS OF CHOROIDAL MELANOMA. This study by Lee et al, examines whether the intensity of PET/CT SUV can be used to predict metastasis and survival of choroidal melanoma. Published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, 2011;95:1588-91, this study confirms the findings of a previous study published in the BJO. (See 2006;90:1263-6.
INITIAL PET/CT STAGING FOR CHOROIDAL MELANOMA: AJCC CORRELATION AND SECOND NONOCULAR PRIMARIES IN 333 PATIENTS. This study by Freton and colleagues suggests that PET/CT improves the yield of detecting extrahepatic metastases (particularly in AJCC T3 and T4 staged tumors), synchronous non-ocular primaries were seen in patients irrespective of uveal melanoma size. For more information see the European Journal of Ophthalmology, 2011 EPub ahead of print.
MINIMALLY INVASIVE ANTERIOR ORBITOTOMY BIOPSY: FINGER'S ASPIRATION CUTTER TECHNIQUE (FACT). This pilot study examines the first use of aspiration cutters to perform minimally invasive orbital tumor biopsy. Tissue was obtained in all cases, however the best specimens were retrieved from metastatic tumors to the orbit. For more information see the European Journal of Ophthalmology, 2011 EPub ahead of print.
CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS OF BIOPSY PROVEN IRIS MELANOMA: A MULTICENTER INTERNATIONAL STUDY. This study was published "Online First" by the Archives of Ophthalmology, September 12th, 2011. This important study was performed over the internet, uniting eight eye cancer centers from 6 countries. It revealed that most iris melanomas were brown, found in the lower half of the iris in patients with blue or hazel eyes. It further revealed evolving trends in treatment. Clearly, this study shows that multiple centers can work together to investigate rare tumors.
HIGH-FREQUENCY ULTRASOUND MEASUREMENTS OF THE NORMAL CILIARY BODY AND IRIS
Just published in the journal, Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers and Imaging 2011;42:321-327, Garcia and colleagues determined the normal ultrasound thickness of the iris and ciliary body. This is important because it provides a standard from which abnormal tissues can be measured. These "normative values" are important for measurement of patients with iris and ciliary body tumor (before and after treatment).
SUBFOVEAL CHOROIDAL MELANOMA
Recently published in the journal, the Archives of Ophthalmology 2011;129:892-898, Newman and colleagues first describe the diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of patients whose choroidal melanomas extend beneath the fovea. This is important because the fovea is the center of vision. They found that most were dome shaped, had retinal detachments and were treatable with plaque radiation therapy. Due to their location, there was a relatively high incidence of radiation maculopathy but fewer radiation cataracts. Overall, vision retention was better than expected, particularly when subsequent radiation maculopathy was treated with anti-VEGF agents.
MULTIFOCAL IRIS MELANOMA TREATED WITH TOTAL ANTERIOR SEGMENT PALLADIUM-103 PLAQUE RADIATION THERAPY
In a single case report, Petousis and colleagues noted that diffuse iris melanoma could be treated with eye and vision sparing palladium-103 plaque radiation therapy. This report was published in the journal, Greafes Archive of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology 2011;249:937-940. One year after irradiation the iris tumor nodules had regressed, the cornea was clear and her vision was stable at 20/25.
CHARACTERISTICS OF ANTERIOR UVEAL MELANOCYTOMAS IN 17 CASES
Melanocytomas are unusual and rarely affect the iris and ciliary body. Published in the journal, OPHTHALMOLOGY, Khatil and associates describe the patient, clinical and high-frequency ultrasound (UBM) characteristics of 17 cases. They found that these tumors can mimic anterior uveal melanomas and sometimes require a biopsy to establish the diagnosis. However, most were treated by observation over time.
SPECTRAL DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANALYSIS OF CHOROIDAL OSTEOMA
Published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology 2011, April EPub, Freton and associates share unique findings related to the higher resolution "spectral domain" technique of optical coherence tomography, applied to choroidal osteomas. Of interest, they showed that spaces within the tumor (seen on OCT) were correlated to previously reported histopathologic features.
ANTERIOR SEGMENT TUMOR BIOPSY TECHNIQUE, CLINICAL EXPERIENCE AND PATHOLOGY
In july of 2011, as an electronic publication in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, a pair of articles describe the use, risk and success related to small incision biopsy of iris and iridociliary tumors. Written by Drs. Petousis and Milman, the Finger Iridectomy Technique (FIT) was compared to published work on needle biopsy. The authors conclude that using a 25 gauge aspiration cutter (instead of a sharp needle) offered few secondary complications, vision preservation and an excellent ability to retrieve diagnostic pathology specimens.
ELECTRON BEAM RADIATION FOR CONJUNCTIVAL SQUAMOUS CARCINOMA
In July of 2011, Graue noted that electrons beam irradiation (that offers limited penetration beyond the tumor) can be used for ocular salvage in cases of end-stage squamous carcinoma of the conjunctiva and cornea. Published in the journal, Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 2011;27:277-81, this study offers an alternative to orbital exenteration surgery.
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INITIAL PET/CT STAGING FOR CHOROIDAL MELANOMA: AJCC CORRELATION AND SECOND NONOCULAR PRIMARIES IN 333 PATIENTS. This study by Freton and colleagues suggests that PET/CT improves the yield of detecting extrahepatic metastases (particularly in AJCC T3 and T4 staged tumors), synchronous non-ocular primaries were seen in patients irrespective of uveal melanoma size. For more information see the European Journal of Ophthalmology, 2011 EPub ahead of print.
MINIMALLY INVASIVE ANTERIOR ORBITOTOMY BIOPSY: FINGER'S ASPIRATION CUTTER TECHNIQUE (FACT). This pilot study examines the first use of aspiration cutters to perform minimally invasive orbital tumor biopsy. Tissue was obtained in all cases, however the best specimens were retrieved from metastatic tumors to the orbit. For more information see the European Journal of Ophthalmology, 2011 EPub ahead of print.
CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS OF BIOPSY PROVEN IRIS MELANOMA: A MULTICENTER INTERNATIONAL STUDY. This study was published "Online First" by the Archives of Ophthalmology, September 12th, 2011. This important study was performed over the internet, uniting eight eye cancer centers from 6 countries. It revealed that most iris melanomas were brown, found in the lower half of the iris in patients with blue or hazel eyes. It further revealed evolving trends in treatment. Clearly, this study shows that multiple centers can work together to investigate rare tumors.
HIGH-FREQUENCY ULTRASOUND MEASUREMENTS OF THE NORMAL CILIARY BODY AND IRIS
Just published in the journal, Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers and Imaging 2011;42:321-327, Garcia and colleagues determined the normal ultrasound thickness of the iris and ciliary body. This is important because it provides a standard from which abnormal tissues can be measured. These "normative values" are important for measurement of patients with iris and ciliary body tumor (before and after treatment).
SUBFOVEAL CHOROIDAL MELANOMA
Recently published in the journal, the Archives of Ophthalmology 2011;129:892-898, Newman and colleagues first describe the diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of patients whose choroidal melanomas extend beneath the fovea. This is important because the fovea is the center of vision. They found that most were dome shaped, had retinal detachments and were treatable with plaque radiation therapy. Due to their location, there was a relatively high incidence of radiation maculopathy but fewer radiation cataracts. Overall, vision retention was better than expected, particularly when subsequent radiation maculopathy was treated with anti-VEGF agents.
MULTIFOCAL IRIS MELANOMA TREATED WITH TOTAL ANTERIOR SEGMENT PALLADIUM-103 PLAQUE RADIATION THERAPY
In a single case report, Petousis and colleagues noted that diffuse iris melanoma could be treated with eye and vision sparing palladium-103 plaque radiation therapy. This report was published in the journal, Greafes Archive of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology 2011;249:937-940. One year after irradiation the iris tumor nodules had regressed, the cornea was clear and her vision was stable at 20/25.
CHARACTERISTICS OF ANTERIOR UVEAL MELANOCYTOMAS IN 17 CASES
Melanocytomas are unusual and rarely affect the iris and ciliary body. Published in the journal, OPHTHALMOLOGY, Khatil and associates describe the patient, clinical and high-frequency ultrasound (UBM) characteristics of 17 cases. They found that these tumors can mimic anterior uveal melanomas and sometimes require a biopsy to establish the diagnosis. However, most were treated by observation over time.
SPECTRAL DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANALYSIS OF CHOROIDAL OSTEOMA
Published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology 2011, April EPub, Freton and associates share unique findings related to the higher resolution "spectral domain" technique of optical coherence tomography, applied to choroidal osteomas. Of interest, they showed that spaces within the tumor (seen on OCT) were correlated to previously reported histopathologic features.
ANTERIOR SEGMENT TUMOR BIOPSY TECHNIQUE, CLINICAL EXPERIENCE AND PATHOLOGY
In july of 2011, as an electronic publication in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, a pair of articles describe the use, risk and success related to small incision biopsy of iris and iridociliary tumors. Written by Drs. Petousis and Milman, the Finger Iridectomy Technique (FIT) was compared to published work on needle biopsy. The authors conclude that using a 25 gauge aspiration cutter (instead of a sharp needle) offered few secondary complications, vision preservation and an excellent ability to retrieve diagnostic pathology specimens.
ELECTRON BEAM RADIATION FOR CONJUNCTIVAL SQUAMOUS CARCINOMA
In July of 2011, Graue noted that electrons beam irradiation (that offers limited penetration beyond the tumor) can be used for ocular salvage in cases of end-stage squamous carcinoma of the conjunctiva and cornea. Published in the journal, Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 2011;27:277-81, this study offers an alternative to orbital exenteration surgery.
Receive the latest news and opportunities from The Eye Cancer Foundation. Please fill out the form below.
