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Intraocular melanoma


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Other Names:
Melanoma of the Uvea; Uveal melanoma
Categories:
Eye diseases; Rare Cancers

Summary Summary


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Intraocular melanoma is a cancer of the pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) in the middle layer of the eye, called the uveal tract.[1]  The uveal tract has 3 main parts: (1) the choroid (the tissue layer filled with blood vessels); (2) the ciliary body (the ring of muscle tissue that changes the size of the pupil and the shape of the lens); and (3) the iris (the colored part of the eye). Most cases (90%) of intraocular melanoma develop in the choroid, called choroidal melanoma; the ciliary body is less commonly a site of origin, and the iris is the least common.  Each manifests with different clinical features and symptoms. [2] Treatment depends on the site of origin (choroid, ciliary body, or iris), size and location of the tumor, the age of the individual, and other factors.[1] 
Last updated: 11/29/2010

Symptoms Symptoms


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This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

Showing of 18 |
Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Choroidal melanoma 0012054
Visual loss
Loss of vision
Vision loss
[ more ]
0000572
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Ciliary body melanoma 0012055
Iris melanoma 0011524
Retinal detachment
Detached retina
0000541
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Abnormal visual accommodation 0030800
Abnormality of refraction 0000539
Inferior lens subluxation 0008494
Metamorphopsia 0012508
Mydriasis
Dilated pupil
0011499
Ocular hypertension
High eye pressure
0007906
Photopsia 0030786
Vitreous hemorrhage 0007902
Zonular cataract 0010920
1%-4% of people have these symptoms
Inflammatory abnormality of the eye 0100533
Ocular pain
Eye pain
0200026
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Autosomal dominant inheritance 0000006
Uveal melanoma 0007716
Showing of 18 |
Do you have more information about symptoms of this disease? We want to hear from you.
Last updated: 1/1/2021
Do you have updated information on this disease? We want to hear from you.

Treatment Treatment


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FDA-Approved Treatments

The medication(s) listed below have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as orphan products for treatment of this condition. Learn more orphan products.

  • Aldesleukin (Brand name: Proleukin) - Manufactured by Chiron Corporation
    FDA-approved indication: Treatment of adults with metastatic melanoma.
    National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
    Medline Plus Health Information

Find a Specialist Find a Specialist


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If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

  • To find a medical professional who specializes in genetics, you can ask your doctor for a referral or you can search for one yourself. Online directories are provided by the American College of Medical Genetics and the National Society of Genetic Counselors. If you need additional help, contact a GARD Information Specialist. You can also learn more about genetic consultations from Genetics Home Reference.

Research Research


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Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Intraocular melanoma. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.
  • The Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study or COMS for short, is a set of clinical trials designed to evaluate the treatments doctors use for their patients with choroidal melanoma. COMS clinical trials are funded by the National Eye Institute and the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health, and are being conducted at more than 40 medical centers in the United States and Canada.

Organizations Organizations


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Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

  • A Cure In Sight
    PO Box 58113
    Raleigh, NC 27658-8113
    or
    4225 Solano Ave
    Napa , CA 94558
    Telephone: +1-(919) 885-5264 (East); +1-707-628-1253 (West)
    E-mail: contact@acureinsight.org
    Website: https://acureinsight.org/
  • Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA)
    730 15th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    Telephone: +1-202-336-8935
    E-mail: info@curemelanoma.org
    Website: https://www.curemelanoma.org/
  • Ocular Melanoma Foundation
    P.O. Box 29261
    Richmond, VA 23242-0261
    E-mail: http://www.ocularmelanoma.org/contact-us.htm#
    Website: http://www.ocularmelanoma.org/home.htm#

Social Networking Websites

  • The Ocular Melanoma Foundation Patient Forum is an interactive social network for patients, family members and health care providers to interact with one another.  Click on the link to read more about this forum.
Do you know of an organization? We want to hear from you.

Living With Living With


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Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Financial Resources

  • Good Days provides help to patients with life-altering conditions. Assistance includes help with the cost of medications and travel.
  • The HealthWell Foundation provides financial assistance for underinsured patients living with chronic and life-altering conditions. They offer help with drug copayments, deductibles, and health insurance premiums for patients with specific diseases. The disease fund status can change over time, so you may need to check back if funds are not currently available.
  • The Social Security Administration has included this condition in their Compassionate Allowances Initiative. This initiative speeds up the processing of disability claims for applicants with certain medical conditions that cause severe disability. More information about Compassionate Allowances and applying for Social Security disability is available online.
  • The Assistance Fund provides various services, including education and financial aid, to help patients with a chronic or serious illness cover the cost of FDA-approved medications. Patients must be U.S citizens or permanent residents.

Learn More Learn More


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These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • The National Cancer Institute provides the most current information on cancer for patients, health professionals, and the general public.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Intraocular melanoma. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

GARD Answers GARD Answers


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Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

Have a question? Contact a GARD Information Specialist.

References References


  1. Intraocular (Eye) Melanoma Treatment (PDQ). National Cancer Institute. 06/15/2010; http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/intraocularmelanoma/Patient/page5. Accessed 11/29/2010.
  2. Shields, Carol, M.D., Shields, Jerry, M.D.. Ocular melanoma: relatively rare but requiring respect. Clinics in Dermatology. 2009;
  3. About Ocular Melanoma. Ocular Melanoma Foundation. http://www.ocularmelanoma.org/about-om. Accessed 11/29/2010.
Do you know of a review article? We want to hear from you.
You can help advance
rare disease research!
You can help advance rare disease research!
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