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Uveal melanoma: updated considerations on current management modalities

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Abstract

Published data on growth rates of uveal melanomas and effects of treatment modalities raise important considerations. Dissemination from uveal melanomas starts after the tumour is larger than 7 mm diameter; growth from 7 to 10 mm diameter increases the risk of metastases incrementally to approximately 16%. Estimations of tumour doubling times indicate that metastatic death before 8 years is nearly always due to pre-therapeutic dissemination so that the impact on survival by therapy can only be assessed thereafter. Histopathology on irradiated melanomas reveals that reproductive activity has not been suppressed and the anticipated (and unfavourable) risk of metastases is not balanced by poor post-irradiation visual acuity. Also the psychological well-being of a patient with a functional fellow eye is better after primary enucleation. Conservative management is most appropriate for: small melanomas, patients with a short life expectancy, melanomas in a single functioning eye, and patients refusing enucleation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pathology Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Willem A. Manschot

  2. Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Roel van Strik

  3. Departments of Ophthalmology and Pathology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland

    William R. Lee

Authors
  1. Willem A. Manschot
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  2. William R. Lee
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  3. Roel van Strik
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Manschot, W.A., Lee, W.R. & van Strik, R. Uveal melanoma: updated considerations on current management modalities. Int Ophthalmol 19, 203–209 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00132688

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