Ocular Oncology Treatment

Also known as plaque therapy, this innovative treatment is only available at a few clinics worldwide, and Sheba is pleased to offer it as an effective therapy for ocular tumors. In Israel, Sheba is the exclusive provider of brachytherapy.

Conventional radiotherapy can damage many healthy cells in the eye, leading to vision loss. Brachytherapy involves placing radioactive iodine 125 plaques directly on the surface of the eye and above the base of the tumor. Advanced computer software enables our doctors to adjust and customize the size of each plaque to optimize it for irradiating the individual’s eye tumor precisely. The plaques are left in place for several days to administer radiation.

Brachytherapy allows controlled, point-to-point irradiation to be delivered to the tumor, thereby minimizing the radiation exposure to healthy retinal areas. This revolutionary therapy helps to preserve the future vision of the treated eye.

In general, brachytherapy and other types of radiotherapy provide exceptional control over ocular tumors. However, studies have shown that uveal melanoma often leads to secondary tumors – even years later. Therefore, all patients treated for uveal melanoma at Sheba’s Ocular Oncology Center are referred for close follow-up surveillance at our Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno-Oncology.

TIL (tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes) immunotherapy is a cutting-edge treatment that involves drastically increasing the number of elite cancer-killing lymphocytes in your body that target and attack malignant cells. Patients with ocular melanoma may develop secondary tumors in the future, and if the melanoma metastasizes, TIL immunotherapy can be an effective treatment option.

Some types of ocular cancer cannot be treated with brachytherapy due to their size or location near the optic nerve. In this case, focused external radiation may be delivered via the new, highly progressive LINAC – Linear Accelerator (Novalis-TX), by specialists in the Neurosurgery Unit.

Surgical operations to treat ocular cancer include procedures to remove part of the eye or the entire eye, depending on the location and size of the tumor.

Chemotherapy is generally recommended only when the ocular cancer has become widespread, chemotherapy drugs may be delivered topically, intravenously, intra-arterially, or intravitreally.

Sometimes, a laser can be used to kill melanoma cells. Thermotherapy, which involves an infrared laser, may be combined with radiation therapy.