The Department of Radiation Oncology, in conjunction with the Department of Opthalmology and the Duke Eye Center offer state-of-the-art radioactive plaque therapy for intra-ocular tumors. This treatment is most often employed for the management of primary choroidal melanoma and for retinoblastoma. The therapy involves the construction of a tiny radioactive device, called a "plaque", which is positioned against the base of the tumor at the time of surgery. The plaque emits radiation and is used to locally destroy the malignancy without resorting to removal of the eye. Most plaques are constructed with radioactive Iodine-125 and a gold shielding.

 

Duke University Medical Center is one of the founding institutions of the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS), designed to evaluate the efficacy of plaque therapy. We have extensive experience with Iodine-125 plaque therapy for medium sized tumors and with preoperative irradiation for large tumors. The Department also has extensive experience in the treatment of retinoblastoma. Duke physicians have published research articles on the treatment of this disease and one of our faculty is a founding member of the International Retinoblastoma Study.

 

Some of the most capable hands in the world provide these therapies at Duke. Should you have any questions, please contact us.