Radiation therapy: conjunctival and eyelid tumors

Abstract

While the primary treatment of eyelid and conjunctival tumors is frequently surgical, several forms of ophthalmic radiation therapy have also been used to treat these malignancies. The goal of radiation therapy is to eradicate tumor burden in a manner that maintains visual function and preserves surrounding sensitive ocular tissues. Ophthalmic radiation may be used as a curative therapy, as adjuvant treatment following surgical excision, or as palliative therapy for advanced cases of eyelid and conjunctival tumors. The following review discusses the indications and outcomes of various modalities of radiation (external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy) used to treat eyelid tumors (squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, sebaceous gland carcinoma, and melanoma) and conjunctival tumors (squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma).