Ocular melanoma is rare, affecting approximately five in a million people. While it represents only 5% of melanomas, ocular melanoma is rapid and aggressive, accounting for 9% of melanoma deaths. Also referred to as uveal melanoma, ocular is a more inclusive term; 90% of primary ocular melanoma develops in the choroid.
There are no established risk factors for ocular melanoma, but it often occurs in blue-eyed, fair-skinned people over sixty years old. Treatment can be successful if the tumours in the eye are caught early. Around 50% of tumours will metastasize, usually in two to five years. Metastasis is to the liver in approximately 90% of these cases, but can also occur in the lungs, bones, brain or abdomen.
For more information about ocular melanoma, please click on the following links to download-able documents we have created with the permission of CureOM, an initiative of Melanoma Research Foundation. Thank you to the team at CureOM for their inspiration and support:
Ocular Melanoma Fact Sheet
Primary OM Questions (coming soon) | Metastatic OM Questions (coming soon)
Follow-Up Care Questions (coming soon) | Caregiver Questions (coming soon)
Click here to read one metastatic ocular melanoma survivor’s experienced perspective and direct guidance on the current landscape of options in ocular melanoma treatment in Canada: Opening Our Eyes To Ocular Melanoma
Click here to read more about ocular melanoma and available testing in Canada: Uveal Melanoma, Prognostic Genetic Test
OM Guidelines for Management; Scanning frequency recommended by Thomas Jefferson Hospital, Philadelphia – world leaders in treating ocular melanoma metastasis
