Ocular melanoma

Ocular melanoma - also called 'uveal melanoma' - is a type of malignant cancer that first develops in the eye. Besides being the most common type of eye cancer, it's also the most deadly.

Anually, about 2500 people are found to have ocular melanoma in America. They make up about 5% of all the individuals diagnosed with melanoma each year.

Unfortunately, in about half the people who develop ocular melanoma, the disease will spread to other areas of the body. This is called ‘metastasis’.

Ocular melanoma that has spread to other areas of the body is called ‘metastatic ocular melanoma’.

Metastatic ocular melanoma is most commonly found in the liver. This form of the disease is called 'metastatic ocular melanoma to the liver'.

Unfortunately, the prognosis for people with metastatic ocular melanoma is poor. Consequently, treatments for the disease are focused on maximizing quality of life rather than providing a cure.

The causes of ocular melanoma are unclear. Unlike melanoma that starts in the skin, there is no evidence that it is caused by exposure to the sun.

However, ocular melanoma is more common amongst people with light colored skin and blue eyes.

What’s more, it appears to be more common in people who have ‘atypical mole syndrome’. Also called ‘dysplastic nevus syndrome’, this is a skin disorder characterized by the presence of an unusually large number of moles.

While most people have 10-20 moles, people with atypical mole syndrome commonly have over 100. Some of their moles also have unusual shapes and structures.

Ocular melanoma also becomes more common with age. The median age of those diagnosed is 55.

That said, ocular melanoma is found amongst people of all skin types, ethnicities and ages.