What is Uveal Melanoma?
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/ Updated March 4th, 2022

What is Uveal Melanoma?

Medical Source: Dr. Sapna Patel
MD Anderson Cancer Center
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A lot of people don’t realize it, but you can actually get cancer of the eye. So, eye health is another area that we should all be monitoring. Uveal melanoma is a disease that forms in the tissue of the eye. Unlike melanoma of the skin, uveal melanoma is not caused by UV rays from the sun … the cause of this disease is still being studied by researchers.

“It is a disease that happens the most frequently in Caucasians and it happens in patients with hazel, green, or blue eyes more frequently than brown eyes … though we’re not clear of the mechanism that protects darker iris individuals from melanoma,” Dr. Patel said.

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Possible risk factors for uveal melanoma include:

  • Light skin and eye color
  • Strong family history of cancers
  • Personal history of cancer
  • Certain mutations that cause familial uveal melanoma, such as BAP1, PALB-2, MBD4, or NF-1
  • Choroidal nevus, a type of lesion in the back of the eye
  • Ocular melanocytosis, another type of lesion in the eye
Even though the disease is rare, Dr. Sapna Patel, a melanoma oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center, recommends getting regular check-ups to monitor for uveal melanoma.

“Everyone should get dilated every year,” she said. “Even if you don’t need corrective lenses or glasses, contact lenses … it’s still important to have your eyes dilated and examined for physical changes such as melanoma or moles in the eye.”

If you do have any of the risk factors above or notice any changes in your vision, be sure to see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible. Early detection is key in treating any cancerincluding uveal melanoma.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Dr. Sapna Patel is a melanoma oncologist at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Read More

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