Cancer can impact nearly every part of the body – including eye eyes. One of the most serious types of eye cancer is a melanoma of the eye. Inside the eye, there are structures which are similar to skin and are susceptible to melanomas just like the skin. A choroidal melanoma, which is the most common type of eye melanoma, is considered to be a sight and possibly life threatening condition. There are treatments available for an eye melanoma, but many will include removing the eye to prevent any metastasis into the brain or other structures of the head.
What is a Melanoma?
The term melanoma is used to describe any metastatic cancer of the skin or other epithelial tissue. This type of cancer is often associated with sun exposure and dark skin lesions.
While a melanoma may be on the external skin, it can also occur in any similar tissue throughout the body.
This is where an eye melanoma would fall, being a subset of a melanoma based on the tissue type and characteristics of the cancer.
How is Eye Melanoma Curable or Treatable?
Unlike a melanoma of the skin, an eye melanoma will rarely, if ever, cause noticeable symptoms in an early stage.
Most of the time, these types of cancer are found in a routine eye examination with dilation when the eye doctor is assessing the health of the back of the eye.
If a dark lesion is found, additional testing such as an ultrasound, may be needed to confirm that it is indeed an eye melanoma.
If the eye melanoma is untreated and progresses, it may begin to impact vision or lead to a retinal detachment.
In cases where the melanoma has progressed to causing symptoms, the prognosis is usually much worse.
Treatment Options for Eye Melanoma
The treatment options for a choroidal melanoma will vary based on the size of the lesion, location of the lesion, and overall health of the patient.
In a young healthy patient, a small tumor may be treated with targeted radiation therapy and the eye and some of the vision can be preserved.
However, if the tumor is larger or has begun to metastasize, removal of the entire eye may be necessary to prevent further spreading of the cancer.
Unfortunately, most cases of an eye melanoma will end in enucleation – or the complete removal of the eyeball from the socket.
Prognosis for Ocular Melanoma
The prognosis for an individual with a melanoma in the eye is highly varied but it can be an extremely detrimental condition if not managed quickly and effectively.
While losing the eye is probable, with the appropriate surgery and post-surgical care, the long-term impacts of the melanoma can be managed and mitigated.
If the melanoma is not a primary tumor, meaning that it has spread from another location, the overall prognosis is much worse as the source of the tumor must be identified and addressed as well as the eye.
Your eye doctor will coordinate with your primary care and other physicians to manage any and all complications.