Ocular Melanoma
Ocular melanoma is a lethal and very rare disease. Many people die from it, especially when it spreads to the liver, a common complication. There are other types of eye cancers, but melanoma is the most common.
Melanoma is a cancer that usually occurs on the skin. It develops from the cells that produce the dark-colored pigment melanin, which is responsible for our skin’s coloring.
These cells, called melanocytes, are found in other places in our bodies, too: our hair, the lining of our internal organs, and our eyes. So while most melanomas do begin to grow in the skin, it is possible for a melanoma to begin in other parts, including the eye. When melanoma does occur in the eye it is called ocular melanoma.
Around 2,500 people are diagnosed every year in the United States. In both the U.S. and Europe, this equates to about 5 – 7.5 per million people per year; for people over 50 years old the incidence rate is increased to around 21 per million per year.
Current research is also showing that ocular melanoma is very different from normal skin melanoma. Both your skin and your eyes should be checked regularly by a doctor.
For more information, please visit:
