Regression of posterior uveal melanoma following iodine-125 plaque radiotherapy based on pre-treatment tumor apical height

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze regression rates and local control of uveal melanoma patients treated with iodine-125 ((125)I) brachytherapy based on initial tumor apical height. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients treated in a single institution from January 1(st), 1996 to 2019 with (125)I plaques (ROPES and COMS) for uveal melanoma were included in this study. Patients treated with brachytherapy for iris and those treated with transpupillary thermotherapy prior to brachytherapy were excluded. The sample was classified into 4 categories depending on initial apical tumor height (h(0)), i.e., h(0) ≤ 2.5 (small), 2.5 < h(0) ≤ 6.25 (small-medium), 6.25 < h(0) ≤ 10 (medium-large), and h(0) > 10 mm (large). Percentage of original tumor apical height (Δh) was collected during follow-ups. Patterns of regression were evaluated using linear least squares adjustments. Multivariable Cox regression were performed. RESULTS: In total, 305 patients met the inclusion criteria, and 27, 166, 100, and 13 were considered for small, small-medium, medium-large, and large categories, respectively. Median follow-up was 82.4, 56.8, 76.1, 89.1, and 100.1 months for the entire cohort and each sub-group, respectively. Pattern of decrease when h(0) ≤ 2.5 mm was not detectable. For the rest sub-groups, changes in height could be fitted using functional form: Δh (T) = ae(–bT) + c, R(2) ≥ 0.97. Multivariate Cox analysis factors predictive of local control failure revealed a hazard ratio (HR) of 6.1 (95% CI: 0.7-58.2%, p = 0.05) for patients who remained similar sized after treatment for small-medium tumors. For the rest sub-groups, Cox analysis did not indicate statistical significance in any single variable. CONCLUSIONS: Height changes can be modeled by a negative exponential function for the first 7 years after treatment depending on the initial height, except for those less than 2.5 mm. Non-responding small-medium tumors multiply by 6 the probability of failure in local control.