Uveal melanoma

Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults. It is associated with a high rate of distant tumor spread and consequent mortality. Unlike retinoblastoma, for which treatment advances over the last few decades have resulted in a dramatic improvement in survival, outcomes for patients with uveal melanoma remain unchanged. Despite improvement in local control of this tumor, roughly 50% of patients develop metastatic disease within 15 years. Delays in diagnosis and marked vascularity of this tumor may underlie that situation. Tumor size, location, histopathologic appearance, cytogenetic abnormalities, and molecular profiling are used in prognostication. The revised 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) manual has presented new information that may improve that process as well. Herein, we review current knowledge on uveal melanoma.