The role of orbital exenteration in choroidal melanoma with extrascleral extension.

The management of choroidal melanoma with extrascleral extension has been a subject of controversy with some proposing orbital exenteration whenever extrascleral extension is demonstrated and others feeling it to be of no value in increasing survival. We reviewed the cases of 43 patients with extrascleral extension of choroidal melanoma. Although five-year survival had previously been demonstrated to be significantly improved in patients undergoing early orbital exenteration at our institution, extended follow-up in 16 consecutive cases revealed ultimate tumor related mortality to approach that of patients refusing exenteration. Only in cases with nonencapsulated or surgically transected extension did exenteration appear to improve survival. In ten cases with delayed recurrence of tumor in the orbit, exenteration proved to be palliative rather than curative.