David Miguel , MPhys , 1 , 2 , Jesús María de Frutos-Baraja , PhD 1 , 2 , Francisco López-Lara , PhD 1 , 2 , María Antonia Saornil , PhD 1 , 2 , Ciro García-Alvarez , PhD 1 , 2 , Pilar Alonso , PhD 1 , 2 , Patricia Diezhandino , PhD 1 , 2
30 April 2018
Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy
brachytherapy, plaque brachytherapy, radiobiology, radiobiological doses, uveal melanoma
To assess the long-term influence of radiobiological doses in the evolution of visual acuity (VA) in patients with uveal melanoma treated by episcleral brachytherapy.
Visual acuity was evaluated prospectively from a case series of 243 patients in 2016 treated with 125I. Data analysis was applied to trend VA outcome and find the accurate best-fit line. Biologically effective dose (BED) was included in survival analysis with the use of Kaplan-Meier and Cox regressions. Hazard ratio (HR) and confidence interval at 95% (CI) were determined. Variables statistically significant were analyzed and compared by log-rank tests.
The median follow-up was 74.2 months (range, 3-223). Exponential regression shows a 25% reduction and 50% in visual acuity score (VAS) scale for 5 and 27.8 months, respectively. Cumulative probabilities of survival analysis were 57%, 42%, 27%, and 23% at 3, 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. Multivariable analysis found tumor height (HR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.07-1.29), applicator size (HR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.08-1.36), juxtapapillary localization (HR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.01-2.84), and dose to foveola (HR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00-1.01) significantly associated with VA loss. Log-rank tests were significant for all those variables. BED has a strong influence in univariate model, but not statistically significant in the multivariate one.
Visual acuity changes can be modeled by an exponential function for the first 5 years after treatment. No relation between VA loss and BED has been found; nevertheless, apical height, plaque size, juxtapapillary localization, and dose to fovea were found as statistical significant variables.
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