Regression of radiation-induced macular edema after systemic bevacizumab

A 59-year-old patient with a coexisting primary choroidal melanoma and colorectal cancer was treated with external beam radiation (EBR) of his choroidal melanoma and systemic chemotherapy with leukovorin/5 fluorouracil (FU) for treatment of his metastatic colorectal cancer. Eight months following EBR, he showed evidence of radiation retinopathy with macular edema. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed macular edema and subretinal fluid. Subsequently, systemic bevacizumab (5 mg/kg) was added to his leukovorin/5FU chemotherapy. After the addition of bevacizumab, OCT showed complete resolution of the macular edema and subretinal fluid.

Bevacizumab may have a role in the treatment of radiation retinopathy, but further investigation is needed before any definitive conclusions can be made.