Histopathological changes in malignant melanomas of the choroid after cobalt plaque therapy.

Abstract

A series of 23 eyes removed after Co plaque therapy for malignant melanoma of the choroid is presented, and the histological changes are described with particular reference to the presence or absence of necrosis in the tumors. In 17 of the 23 eyes no evidence of tumor necrosis was found, though all showed evidence of radiation changes in the adjacent tissues. Necrosis was found in 6 cases but was prominent in only 2, 1 of which was the only example of a mixed cell tumor, the other 22 being spindle cell tumors. Enucleation became necessary .apprx. 32 mo. after treatment (23 of 100 treated eyes) because of obvious failure of treatment with evidence of continued growth, or because of radiation complications leading to a painful blind eye. The 5 yr survival rate was 86% compared with .apprx. 50% when the treatment is enucleation.