Anatom3DEye melanoma (uveal melanoma)
Melanoma uveae · Melanom oka (uveální melanom)
What it is
The commonest cancer arising inside the adult eye, from pigment cells of the choroid, ciliary body or iris; it has its own genetics (not sun-driven like skin melanoma) and spreads almost only to the liver.
Symptoms & signs
- Often none — found at a routine eye exam
- blurred or distorted vision
- flashes, floaters, a shadow in the vision
- a growing dark spot on the iris
🚩 Get help if…
- see a doctor soon New shadow, curtain or flashes in one eye
- see a doctor soon Blurred or lost vision in one eye
- see a doctor soon Growing dark spot on the iris
- see a doctor soon Pain in the right upper belly or yellow skin after eye melanoma
Where it strikes
Medical treatment
- Eye examination and ultrasound
- Plaque brachytherapy or proton beam radiation — saves the eye; survival equal to removal (COMS trial) trials support
- removal of the eye for large tumours
- genetic tests of the tumour for risk of spread
- liver scans every 6–12 months
- Tebentafusp for spread in HLA-A*02:01 carriers — longer survival; cytokine release reactions trials support
Natural & lifestyle
- Regular eye checks with a known pigmented spot (naevus)
- no proven lifestyle prevention
Emerging & experimental
- Liver-directed chemotherapy (perfusion) for liver spread
- adjuvant therapy after high-risk tumours
- light-activated nanoparticle therapy
Alternative, off-label & anecdotal
Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.
- Alternative cancer diets instead of treatment — shorter survival in studies of refusers not confirmed in trials
- Bilberry extract — no evidence in eye tumours anecdotal / traditional
ICD codes
- ICD-10 C69.3
- ICD-11 2D05.0 Melanoma of choroid