Doctors at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, have successfully treated a 41-year-old man diagnosed with choroidal melanoma, a rare but potentially life-threatening eye cancer, using Plaque Brachytherapy, an eye-saving treatment that preserves both the eye and vision while effectively targeting the tumour.
The patient, a resident of Iraq, had been experiencing gradual diminution of vision in his right eye for nearly six months. What initially seemed like a routine vision problem gradually began affecting his daily life, prompting him to seek expert medical care in India.
Detailed clinical examination and investigations revealed a large intraocular tumour measuring approximately 9.5 x 13.5 mm- roughly the size of a small pea within the confined space of the eye, suggestive of choroidal melanoma, which is a malignant eye cancer that can spread beyond the eye if not treated early. Timely diagnosis allowed doctors to intervene at the right stage, when the disease was still confined to the eye.
After multidisciplinary assessment, doctors recommended Plaque Brachytherapy as the most appropriate approach, balancing effective tumour control with preservation of the patient’s quality of life. Plaque brachytherapy is an advanced form of radiation treatment in ophthalmology, where a radioactive plaque is temporarily sutured to the outer surface of the eye directly over the tumour.
This allows doctors to deliver precise radiation to the cancer while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue, offering an effective alternative to complete removal of the eye. In this case, doctors used an indigenously developed Ruthenium-106 plaque manufactured by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, enabling access to high-quality treatment at significantly lower cost compared to imported alternatives.
The procedure was performed by the Ophthalmology team led by Dr. Anita Sethi, Principal Director & HOD –Ophthalmology Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, in close coordination with Dr. Dodul Mondal, Senior Director, Radiation Oncology, Max Hospital, Saket. The patient remained admitted during treatment until the required radiation dose was delivered, following which the plaque was removed.
Commenting on the case, Dr Anita Sethi said, “Many patients fear that an eye cancer diagnosis automatically means loss of the eye. Our goal was to treat the tumour effectively while helping the patient retain vision and confidence. Early diagnosis gave us the opportunity to choose a treatment that aligned with both medical safety and the patient’s long-term quality of life. This case shows how timely intervention and multidisciplinary planning can help preserve vision even in complex eye cancers.”
According to Dr Dodul Mondal, said, “Radiotherapy today is evolving from a one-size-fits-all approach to highly precise, personalised treatment. Plaque brachytherapy reflects this shift by allowing the radiation source to be placed directly next to the tumour, so less radiation reaches healthy parts of the eye and the risk of unnecessary damage is reduced compared with less targeted approaches.”
With this successful case, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, highlights how precision-led, multidisciplinary care can transform outcomes in complex eye cancers. One of the few hospitals in India to offer the novel eye- saving treatment. As advanced technologies become more accessible, such approaches are helping reshape the future of Ophthalmic Oncology in India, while reinforcing India’s growing reputation as a preferred destination for patients from around the world seeking high-quality, advanced medical care.
