Sheffield Ocular Oncology Service | A Centre for Excellence in Adult Eye Cancer since 1987
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals 
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Telephone 0114 271 2029 or 0114 226 1341
Information about treatments
Treatments for Ocular Meanoma

The aims of treatment of tumours of the eye are as follows:

1. Destroy the tumour
2. Retain a healthy eye
3. Retain as much vision as possible

Whether all of these aims can be achieved will depend on the size and location of the tumour and how the various treatments achieve these aims will be discussed in clinic.

All of the following treatments are available in Sheffield:

Conjunctival tumours
Local resection
Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
Proton beam therapy
Removal of the eye (enucleation)
Ruthenium plaque therapy
Stereotactic radiosurgery

This list is not exhaustive and many other conditions may be referred to our clinic

Conjunctival tumours

The mainstay of treatment of conjunctival tumours is surgical removal (excision) with additional freezing (cryotherapy) of the surrounding tissue. A number of patients will also require additional treatment with cytotoxic eyedrops such as mitomycin or interferon which have been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence. Such eye drops may also be used for patients with atypical cells either squamous or PAM as they have been shown to reduce the degree of atypia and hopefully therefore reduce the chance of progression to an invasive tumour. Occasionally, patients require treatment with plaque radiotherapy or proton beam therapy particularly if the disease is extensive or resistant to conventional treatment.

Your case will be discussed at a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meeting which all of the clinical team members attend, taking into account your thoughts and preferences. Your specialist nurse will discuss the recommendations of the MDT with you and arrange your admission for treatment.

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Local resection
Occasionally small tumours located near the front of the eye may be removed surgically under a general anaesthetic.

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Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
PDT is a form of laser therapy that is occasionally used in the treatment of small melanomas and other tumours. This is a relatively new form of treatment and will be discussed with you in clinic if appropriate.

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Download a PDF with more information here.
Proton beam therapy
Protons are high energy, charged particles that are produced by a machine called a cyclotron which at present is only available at Clatterbridge, a unit in the Wirral. Protons penetrate tissue to a specific, clearly defined depth and area, and for this reason are very practical for treating small areas of the eye.

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Download a PDF with more information here.
Removal of the eye (enucleation)
People have eyes removed for a number of different reasons, some of which are given below. Usually we only consider removal of the eye if:

Your tumour is in a difficult place to treat using conventional treatments e.g. using laser or radiation;

Your tumour is relatively large and because of this there is an increased risk of causing a painful blind eye following conventional treatment;

You have other problems with your general health;

You decide that removing your eye is a better choice than other kinds of treatment.

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Download a PDF with more information here.
All of the radiotherapy techniques below work by 'sterilising' the tumour cells so that they are unable to reproduce, growth ceases and eventually the tumour dies.
Ruthenium plaque therapy
This is a treatment whereby a plaque is surgically placed over the tumour in your eye usually under a general anaesthetic. The plaque contains a radioactive isotope called ruthenium which delivers a dose of radiotherapy to the underlying tissues. These plaques are available in different sizes. This means the correct size can be used for each individual patient, minimising damage to the retina.

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Download a PDF with more information here.
Stereotactic radiosurgery
Stereotactic radiosurgery is a type of radiation treatment that uses gamma rays and is only available in Sheffield. Gamma rays are different from the x-rays used in a standard x-ray in that they have a much shorter wavelength. These gamma rays are directed at the tumour in your eye. The advantages of stereotactic radiosurgery are that it is performed under a local anaesthetic and treatment is completed in one day.

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Download a PDF with more information here.
'I was extremely apprehensive but it was nothing like I feared. The care I received in Sheffield was first class. The team are all dedicated, caring professionals who left me feeling I could not have been treated better anywhere.'

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Anthony Powell