The impact of selected factors on early diagnosis of multiple primary cancers in patients with uveal melanoma

AIM OF THE STUDY: To find differences between a group of patients with intraocular melanoma and another primary cancer and a group of patients with no identifiable second primary cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The analysis involved 240 participants, selected from patients who were treated for uveal melanoma at the Department of Ophthalmology and Ocular Oncology of the Jagiellonian University Medical College between the year 1998 and 2007. Among those patients 97 were diagnosed with one or more independent primary cancers. Those patients were subject to a comparative analysis with a second group of 143 patients who had uveal melanoma with no identifiable second primary cancer. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences between the group of patients with intraocular melanoma and another primary cancer, and the group of patients with uveal melanoma (but without another diagnosed primary neoplasm) were as follows: more common family history of cancer, better education, living in cities (especially with a population over 500 thousand), previous surgery except for uveal melanoma, and two or less than two pregnancies in the case of women. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis revealed that more common family history of cancer, better education, living in cities (especially with a population over 500 thousand), previous surgery, except for uveal melanoma, and two or less than two pregnancies in the case of women, were associated with a higher rate of detection of multiple primary cancers

Ruthenium-106 Plaque Therapy for Diffuse Choroidal Hemangioma in Sturge-Weber Syndrome

Diffuse choroidal hemangiomas associated with Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) are classically treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBR), but there are a few reports usually of single cases indicating the usefulness of plaque therapy. We present our observations on two cases of diffuse choroidal hemangiomas with exudative retinal detachment associated with SWS treated with Ruthenium-106 plaque therapy. Outcomes included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and regression in tumor thickness measured by ultrasonography. The initial BCVA of the affected eyes was counting fingers at 1 meter and light projection. Pretreatment tumors thickness was 3.5 mm and 4.7 mm. In a follow-up period of 18–24 months, significant reduction in thickness of choroidal hemangiomas up to 1.2 mm and 1.4 mm with prompt resolution of exudative retinal detachment was observed. BCVA achieved 20/200 and 20/400, respectively. The findings in this paper indicate that Ruthenium-106 plaque therapy is effective in treatment of diffuse choroidal hemangiomas associated with SWS

Preliminary results of proton radiotherapy for choroidal melanoma : the Kraków experience

AIM OF THE STUDY: The objective of the study was to present the preliminary results of proton radiotherapy as a method for treating 15 patients with choroidal melanoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The proton radiotherapy was administered using beams providing energy levels of 60 MeV, which ensures a clinical range of 28.4 mm. In addition, the beam has a very narrow penumbra of 1.3 mm and a sharp distal dose fall-off. All patients received the dose of 60 CGE (cobalt gray equivalent) given to the PTV (planning target volume). This dose was administered in 4 fractions over 4 successive days of treatment. RESULTS: The tumour had regressed in 8 patients (53.3%) and remained stable in 3 patients (20%). The large tumours in another 3 patients (20%) were removed during vitrectomy (endoresection), which increased the number of patients with tumour regression up to 11 (73.3%). In the case of 1 patient, despite intraocular tumour regression occurring the choroidal melanoma had spread multifocally into the orbit, which necessitated orbit exenteration. The results ensured that the eyeballs of 14 patients (93.3%) could be saved. The follow-up period for the 15 patients ranged between 8 and 26 months (average: 17.4 months, median: 19 months). In this period some side effects were noted: an increase in intraocular pressure, retinal detachment, cataract, maculopathy, neuropathy and vitreous haemorrhaging. CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary results confirm that proton radiotherapy is an effective method for treating patients with choroidal melanoma. This method ensures an eyeball preservation rate of 93%, with the vision function of 80% of the patients being saved

Hypertensive crisis-a serious problem in medical practice

There has recently been a considerable increase in interest in hypertensive crisis-a life-threatening condition. Recent publications indicate that hypertensive crisis is a problem not only in general medicine but also in ophthalmology. Visual disturbances may be the initial symptoms of severe hypertension and can reflect severe systemic changes. It seems appropriate to conduct further studies on the pathogenesis of vascular hypertensive changes, and particularly any associated inflammatory reactions. It also seems justified to introduce screening for hypertensive changes on the eye fundus photographs in emergency departments

Hadron radiotherapy in Kraków — past, present and future

W obecnym opracowaniu omówiono w skrócie definicje i historię odkrycia niektórych hadronów (protonu i neutronu) oraz przesłanki i wskazania kliniczne do radioterapii hadronowej. Przedstawiono dotychczasowe doświadczenia krakowskiego ośrodka w stosowaniu radioterapii neutronowej (w latach 1978–1995) i radioterapii protonowej (stosowanej od 2011 roku) oraz perspektywy dalszego rozwoju.The definition and discovery of some hadrons (protons and neutrons) and the rationale and clinical indications forhadron radiotherapy are presented in this paper. The authors describe the Kraków experience in the clinical use of neutron radiotherapy for the period 1978–1995 and the use of proton radiotherapy since 2011. The perspectives for progress for this method of radiotherapy is presented