[Choroid melanoma. A retrospective randomized comparative study of ruthenium irradiation vs enucleation]

A randomized retrospective study concerning survival of Ruthenium treatment and enucleation in melanoma patients has been performed. For 112 patients from Hamburg who underwent Ruthenium therapy individual match partners were selected in Copenhagen where during the same period of time enucleation was the standard procedure. Selection took place concerning patient's age and sex at the time of treatment, initial tumor volume and the time of treatment. The present status of the patients was not known during the selection process. During the observation time of 12 years there was a survival rate after irradiation of 77.9% and after enucleation of 78.6%. Cox' regression disclosed a coefficient of 0.049 with a standard aviation of 0.293 and a P-value of 0.867. All parameters were showing no statistical difference between Ruthenium treated and enucleated patients. The survival rate in males was 69.2%, female patients 87.2%. For male patients there was a 2,4-fold higher risk to develop metastasis compared with female patients. Patient's age at the time of treatment correlated significantly with the prognosis. There was an increase in mortality risk by factor 1.4 per decade.