Objectives: To determine the clinical relevance of exudative retinal detachment (ERD) and the rate of ERD resolution after plaque radiotherapy of posterior uveal melanomas.
Methods: Retrospective, nonrandomized study of 135 consecutive patients with posterior uveal melanoma treated by iodine 125 plaque radiotherapy. Extent of ERD and tumor thickness were assessed before radiotherapy and at postoperative follow-up visits. Local tumor control was assessed at each follow-up visit.
Results: An ERD was present in 71 patients (53%) and was a risk factor for local treatment failure (P =.03). The ERD resolved after radiotherapy in 59 (83%) of the 71 patients. The ERD resolved within 1 year in 64 patients (90%) (mean time to resolution, 5.6 months). The rate of ERD resolution correlated with the rate of decrease in tumor thickness (P =.004). The ERD did not resolve and the tumor thickness continued to increase in 5 patients, who required further intervention. A recurrent retinal detachment developed in 5 patients, who were diagnosed as having rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (3 patients) and lipid exudation secondary to tumor vasculopathy (2 patients). Two patients with local tumor recurrence did not develop a recurrent ERD. Local tumor control was achieved in 130 patients (96%).
Conclusions: An ERD may be a risk factor for local failure after plaque radiotherapy for uveal melanoma. If an ERD does not resolve within 9 to 12 months of radiotherapy and the tumor is not regressing, treatment failure should be suspected. A recurrent ERD does not necessarily represent local tumor recurrence.