Study of the blood-aqueous barrier in choroidal melanoma

Abstract

Aims-Aqueous flare was used to determine the frequency and amount of bloodaqueous barrier breakdown and correlate it with tumour variables. Methods-Aqueous flare was analysed prospectively by laser flare photometry in 139 consecutive patients seen in the oncology unit for choroidal melanoma. Both eyes of patients were examined with a laser flare cell meter in a standard fashion. Results-Mean flare difference between healthy and tumour eyes was 3.01 (SD 2.5) photons per millisecond (ph/ms) in 32 cases of small melanomas (p<0.0001), 10-74 (13.9) ph/ms in 92 cases of medium and large melanomas (p<0.0001), and 19.23 (11-8) ph/ms in 15 cases of very large melanomas (p<0.0001). This mean differential flare was significantly higher in medium and large than in small melanomas (p<0.002) and in very large melanomas than in medium and large melanomas (p<0.028). A difference of ≥7 ph/ms between affected and healthy eyes was noted in 70 of 139 melanomas (50.4%). It was found in 3/32 small melanomas (9-4%), in 53/92 medium and large melanomas (57.6%), and in 14/15 very large melanomas (93.3%). Conclusion-Multiple linear regression analysis showed that flare was most strongly correlated with tumour volume (r=0-43; p<0 0001) and tumour height (r=0.41; p<00008).