UT Southwestern’s ocular oncologists utilize state-of-the-art technology and have access to leading treatment options to ensure the best treatment plan for each patient.
Depending on the circumstances, some eye tumors may simply be monitored prior to making a treatment decision.
When treatment of the eye is required, options may include:
- Cryotherapy: Certain small tumors can be treated with a very cold probe about the size of a pencil that is placed on the surface of the eye for a few seconds. This treatment is usually performed with local anesthesia in the clinic or in the operating room.
- Photodynamic therapy: This is a safe and effective “cold” laser treatment for patients with certain types of small eye tumors such as hemangioma and choroidal nevus. This treatment involves the infusion of a photosensitizing compound into a vein in the arm or hand, followed by the focusing of a certain wavelength of light onto the tumor for a few minutes to activate the dye.
- External beam radiation therapy: This involves the delivery of radiation to a specific part of the eye using an external source, such as a CyberKnife or Gamma Knife. UT Southwestern is a national leader in both procedures.
- Plaque brachytherapy: This involves the placement of a small, curved disc embedded with radioactive seeds on the surface of the eye. It is usually left in place for about three days and then removed, after which there is no residual radiation in the body. This technique is highly focused to minimize radiation damage to surrounding tissues, and it is highly effective in most cases. Dr. Harbour has over 25 years of experience with plaque brachytherapy. He has one of the highest reported success rates in the U.S., and he has taught dozens of other surgeons from around the world how to perform this procedure.
- Surgery: Most of the time, eye tumors can be treated without removing the eye, but in a small minority of patients, eye removal (enucleation) is the only safe option. Using modern plastic surgery techniques employed at UT Southwestern, most patients have a quick recovery and a good cosmetic result.
- Transpupillary thermotherapy: This is a “warm” laser therapy technique in which a long-wavelength lightwave is used to kill cancer cells by heating them up. This treatment can be performed in the clinic and can be highly effective, allowing surgery to be avoided in select patients.
In some situations, systemic treatment to the whole body may be required, including:
- Targeted molecular therapy: New medications have been developed that target specific molecular abnormalities in certain types of cancer. The medication may be one that can be taken by mouth, or it may require infusion through a vein in the arm or hand.
- Immunotherapy: New medications are being developed that activate the patient’s immune system to attack the cancer. These medications usually require delivery through a vein at an infusion center.
- Liver-directed therapy: Certain types of eye cancer, such as uveal melanoma, have a propensity for metastasis to the liver. In selected patients in which metastasis has occurred but is limited to the liver, this interventional radiology procedure in which chemotherapy, radioactive particles, or immunotherapy are delivered directly to the liver can be a good option for reducing effects on other parts of the body.
