[Use of oncologic markers in ophthalmic oncology]

The authors draw attention to the possible application, and present their initial experience with examination of serum for the presence of oncomarkers (using radioimmunological methods) in clinical practice of ophthalmooncology in a group of 12 patients treated at the First Ophthalmological Clinic, Faculty Hospital Comenius University, Bratislava in 1997. The mean age of the patients was 59 years. In the first sub-group are nine histologically confirmed malignant melanomas of the uvea (eight times after enucleation of the bulbus and once after block-excision combined with application of the beta-emitter Ru106). In the second sub-group are three patients (one female patient with MMU after application of the beta-emitter Ru106 without enucleation and two patients under investigation on account of a naevus of the choroid). In the whole group of 12 patients the following oncomarkers were examined: TK titre, TPA, B2M and NSE and the patients are monitored so far during a one year period of dispensarization. Elevated levels of beta-2-microglobulin (B2M) were recorded in 50% of the patients and elevated levels of the tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) in 25% (in the group of histologically confirmed malignant melanomas of the uvea). On examination of the other oncomarkers (TK, NSE and FE resp.) no positive results were recorded. The importance of investigation of the mentioned oncomarkers in ophthalmooncology is in particular the possibility of early detection of metastases in patients after termination of treatment on account of a malignant melanoma of the uvea.