Ocular Melanoma Metastatic to the Liver

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If you have been diagnosed with Ocular Melanoma and are considering enucleation, please read this.

For over twenty years, enucleation has been the accepted treatment for ocular melanoma. Recent research has indicated that enucleation does not improve the patient's life expectancy. Unless you have great pain, there probably is a better treatment for you. Please get a 2nd, 3rd etc. opinion before having your eye enucleated.
From ARCH OPHTHALMOL/Vol.119, Dec. 2001:
Angiostatin Produced by Certain Primary Uveal Melanoma Cell Lines Impedes the Development of Liver metastases
Arch opthalmol. 2001;119:1805-1809
Conclusion: By removing a source of angiostatin, enucleation of melanoma-containing eyes may unwittingly exacerbate the metastatic potential of uveal melanoma.
Article may be purchased here: http://www.archophthalmol.com

Article: Radiation, Eye Removal Produce Same Survival Rates For Ocular Melanoma (Melanoma Patients Information Page: www.mpip.org)
Excerpt:
BETHESDA, MD -- July 13, 2001 -- Researchers have found that the survival rates for two alternative treatments for primary eye cancer - radiation therapy and removal of the eye -- are about the same.
Prior to this finding, there was a question in the medical community as to whether either treatment might result in lower mortality. Also, as a consequence of this research, the capability of doctors nationwide to provide more accurate diagnoses and state-of-the-art treatments for eye cancer has been greatly expanded. Mortality data are compared in the July 2001 issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

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