Evaluation of hematoporphyrin photoradiation therapy to treat choroidal melanomas.

Hematoporphyrin derivative-photoradiation therapy (HPD-PRT) was used to treat choroidal melanomas in 23 human subjects. Tumor sizes were divided into three categories: less than 500 mm3 (11 patients), 500-1,000 mm3 (four patients), and greater than 1,000 mm3 (eight patients). Tumors were exposed to 630 nm laser light at total doses of 300-3,000 J/cm2. Significant tumor reduction was noted in the subjects with initial tumor volume of less than 500 mm3 and 500-1,000 mm3.