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Small choroidal and ciliary
body tumors
These are some treatment options for small choroidal or ciliary body
tumors.
Careful observation is common,
although patients and their doctors may choose another option
depending upon the location of the tumor or if the tumor begins to
grow.
Medium choroidal and ciliary body tumors
The two most common treatment options for medium-sized choroidal and
ciliary body melanoma are radiation therapy and enucleation. There
is no difference in survival between these two treatment methods.
These are treatment options for medium-sized tumors.
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Radiotherapy (charged particle
or brachytherapy)
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Surgery to remove the tumor
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Enucleation
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Enrolling in a clinical trial
Another option for people who may
not wish to undergo radiation or surgery, or whose tumor is not
growing, is careful observation of the tumor.
Large choroidal and ciliary body tumors
For large tumors, enucleation is the usual treatment. Results of the
COMS study revealed that patients had similar survival rates whether
they received radiation therapy before enucleation or had their eyes
removed with no prior radiation treatment. Enrolling in a clinical
trial may be another option for people with large choroidal and
ciliary body tumors.
Iris melanoma
Iris melanoma is not generally treated unless the tumor begins to
grow. These are examples of common treatment options.
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Observation
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Surgery
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Radiotherapy (charged particle
or brachytherapy)
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Enucleation, if the tumor is too
large to remove or it spreads beyond the eye
Recurrent intraocular melanoma
Recurrent uveal melanoma is melanoma that has come back after
previous treatment. Enucleation is one of the main treatments if a
person’s eye has not yet been removed. A person with recurrent
intraocular melanoma may also consider enrolling in a clinical
trial.
Extraocular extension melanoma
If the tumor has spread to the outside of the eye, optic nerve, or
eye socket, the doctor may remove the eye. Or, the doctor may
perform a modified enucleation, which is the removal of the eyeball
and adjacent structures. In some cases, the doctor may decide to
remove the entire eye and the adjacent structures in a process
called an exenteration. If the spread is small, some doctors will
try to save the eye by removing the outer part of the tumor and
treating the eye with radiation.
Metastatic intraocular melanoma
This is melanoma that has spread from the eye to other parts of the
body. A person may choose to treat the disease in the affected organ
or enroll in a clinical trial. Some people decide that they do not
want to treat the cancer anymore. For these people, palliative
treatment can reduce their pain, control their symptoms, and make
them more comfortable.
Follow-up care
People who have had intraocular melanoma will need to be monitored
for evidence of cancer spread to other areas of the body. Some
people are monitored every six months, and some people are monitored
every year. You and your doctor can decide on an acceptable
follow-up plan.
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