Now accepting Telehealth appointments. Schedule a virtual visit.

CHOROIDAL MELANOMA

Tumors arise from the pigment cells that reside within the uvea and give rise to eye color. When eye melanoma is spread to distant parts of the body, the five-year survival rate is about 15%.

This is the most common type of primary eye cancer. Males and females are affected equally. Worldwide, there are around 2 million to 8 million cases per year.More than 50% metastasize, mostly to the liver.

Ocular melanoma may present without symptoms depending upon the location and size of the tumor. When symptoms do occur, they can include:[

The treatment protocol for uveal melanoma has been directed by many clinical studies, the most important being The Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS).The treatment varies depending upon many factors, chief among them the size of the tumor and results from testing of biopsied material from the tumor. Primary treatment can involve removal of the affected eye. However, this is now reserved for cases of extreme tumor burden or other secondary problems. Advances in radiation therapies have significantly decreased the number of patients treated by eye removal/ enucleation

Author
Paddy Kalish OD, JD and B.Arch

You Might Also Enjoy...

ANEURYSM

An aneurysm is a bulging, weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel resulting in an abnormal widening or ballooning greater than 50% of the vessel's normal diameter (width). An aneurysm may occur in any blood vessel, but is most often seen in an artery.

NITRIC OXIDE and Health

Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the critical components of the vasculature, regulating key signaling pathways in health. In macro-vessels, NO functions to suppress cell inflammation as well as adhesion.

SEPSIS

Sepsis is a serious condition in which the body responds negatively to an infection. The infection fighting processes turn on the body, causing the organs to work malfunction. Sepsis may progress to septic shock.

MERKEL CELL Carcinoma(MCC)

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare type of skin cancer that usually appears as a flesh-colored or bluish-red nodule, often on the Face, Eyelid, Head or Neck.

Sciatica

Sciatica refers to pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the leg. It is caused by injury to or by pressure on the sciatic nerve. Sciatica is a symptom of a medical problem. It is not a medical condition by itself.

HEART FAILURE

HEART FAILURE is a condition in which the heart loses efficiency, leading to a chronic mismatch between the body’s need for oxygen and what it actually gets. There is chronic difficulty breathing, uncomfortable swelling in the arms or legs (or anywhere).