Adjuvant Brachytherapy with Ruthenium-106 to Reduce the Risk of Recurrence of Conjunctival Melanoma after Excision.

Introduction: Local recurrence of conjunctival melanoma (CM) is common after excision. Local radiotherapy is an effective adjuvant treatment option, and brachytherapy with ruthenium-106 (Ru) is one such option. Thus, herein, we aimed to describe our experience with and the clinical results of post-excision adjuvant Ru plaque brachytherapy in patients with CM.

Treatment of radiation-induced maculopathy with fluocinolone acetonide.

Purpose: Chronic macular oedema is a well-known presentation of radiation-induced maculopathy (RM) following external beam photon therapy, plaque radiotherapy and proton beam radiotherapy for choroidal tumours. Current therapies vary in respect of efficacy and clinical benefit. The potential of fluocinolone acetonide (FAc) slow-release implants is unknown.

Antimony-trioxide- and arsenic-trioxide-induced apoptosis in myelogenic and lymphatic cell lines, recruitment of caspases, and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential are enhanced by modulators of the cellular glutathione redox system.

During the last years remission rates of more than 72% for arsenic(III)-oxide (As(2)O(3)) treatment in relapsed or refractory acute promyelocytic leukemia have been published. As(2)O(3) is under clinical investigation for therapy of leukemia and solid tumors. Due to the chemical affinity of arsenic and antimony, we analyzed the potency of antimony(III)-oxide (Sb(2)O(3)) to exert As(2)O(3)-like effects.

Ocular syphilis--indicator of previously unknown HIV-infection.

Objectives: To detect the prevalence of HIV-co-infection in patients with ocular syphilis and to compare ocular syphilis in HIV-positive and -negative patients.

Methods: 24 consecutive patients treated for ocular syphilis at our hospital between 1998 and 2006 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients' characteristics, laboratory results (including syphilis serology, HIV status, CSF examination), major ophthalmologic finding, treatment and course were assessed.