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

Introduction:We aimed to report the demographic data,clinical features, and management outcomes of patientswith uveal melanoma (UM) in a single tertiary center inEgypt.Methods:This is a single-center retrospective caseseries. Patients with UM who were managed at Cairo Uni-versity Ocular Oncology Service between January 2019 andDecember 2023 were included. Records were analyzed forpatients'demographics, clinical features and differentmanagement options. Outcomes included changes in bestcorrected visual acuity and tumor dimensions (thickness andlargest base diameter), perioperative complications, globesalvage, and recurrence rates.Results:A total of 93 eyes of93 patients with UM were treated in our service over a periodof 5 years. The mean age of patients was 52.18 +/- 13.30 years,and 91.4% of tumors were choroidal or ciliochoroidal. 52eyes (55.91%) were managed with ruthenium-106 episcleralbrachytherapy, of which two eyes required additional bra-chytherapy, 8 eyes ended with secondary enucleation, andthe globe was salvaged in 84.62% of eyes. 8 eyes (8.60%)were managed by gamma knife radiosurgery with orwithout endoresection. One eye with an iridociliary tumorwas managed with partial lamellar sclerouvectomy, and theremaining 32 eyes (34.41%) were primarily enucleated.Conclusion:Timely referral channels and accurate assess-ment of cases with UM are invaluable for achievement ofhigher success rates in tumor regression, as well as globeand/or vision salvage in eyes managed with brachytherapy.Patients with more advanced tumors should be counseledon the importance of more invasive options such as enu-cleation in achieving lower metastasis and mortality rates.(c) 2024 S. Karger AG, Basel