Objective: To evaluate our experience in the treatment of uveal melanoma by means of Iodine-125 brachytherapy. A reprospective case series study.

Methods: Patients diagnosed of uveal melanoma and treated with Iodine-125 brachytherapy in the Ciudad Sanitaria y Universitaria de Bellvitge (CDUV), from September 1996 to December 2000 and follow up of more than one year.

Results: During the period of study, 145 patients were diagnosed of uveal melanoma, of which, 77 were treated with Iodine-125 COMS type plaques; among these, 58 were elegible for this study. After a mean of 2.4 year follow up period (878 days) a mean reduction in height of 53.84% and a mean reduction in volume of 75.88% was observed. As for visual acuity, 32.7% of patients presented a vision of 0.1 or better in last follow up check; 13.5% presented low vision at the moment of diagnosis and continued the same up to last follow up check. The rest of patients experienced loss which conditioned vision to less than 0.1. As for complications, we have observed transient diplopia (8.6%), cataract (3.4%), vitreous bleeding (10.3%), neovascular glaucoma (6.8%), radiation retinopathy (17.24%), radiation neuropathy (6.8%), posterior scleritis (2%), pigmental scattering (2%), tumor progression (2%), endophtalmitis (2). Secondary enucleations were carried out in 6.8% of patients. Metastatic disease was observed in 15.5% of the patients.

Conclusions: Brachytherapy with Iodine-125 may induce significant regression in most of patients affected of uveal melanoma, with good preservation of visual acuity and a low rate of complications.