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Treatment Option Overview
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There are different types of treatments for patients with
intraocular melanoma.
Different types of treatments are available for patients with intraocular melanoma. Some treatments are standard (the currently used
treatment), and some are being tested in clinical
trials. A treatment clinical trial is a research
study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new
treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new
treatment is better than the standard
treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
Five types of standard treatment are used:
Surgery
Surgery is the most common treatment for intraocular melanoma. The following types of surgery may be used:
- Local tumor resection: Surgery to remove the tumor and a small amount of healthy tissue around it.
- Enucleation: Surgery to remove the eye and part of the optic nerve. This is done if the tumor is large and vision cannot be saved. The patient may be fitted for an artificial eye after enucleation.
- Exenteration: Surgery to remove the eye and eyelid, and
muscles, nerves, and fat in the eye socket. The patient may be fitted for an artificial eye or facial prosthesis after exenteration.
Watchful
Waiting
Watchful waiting is closely monitoring a patient’s condition without giving any treatment until symptoms appear or change. A series of pictures is taken over
time to keep track of changes in the size of the tumor and how fast it is growing.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. There are two types of radiation therapy. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer. Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer. The way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.
Localized plaque radiation therapy is a type of internal radiation therapy that may be used for tumors of the eye. Radioactive seeds are attached to a disk, called a plaque, and placed directly on the wall of the
eye where the tumor is located. The
side with the seeds faces the eyeball and delivers radiation to
the eye. The plaque, which is often made of gold, helps protect nearby tissues from radiation damage.
Charged-particle radiation therapy is a type of external radiation therapy. A special radiation therapy machine aims tiny, invisible particles, called protons or helium ions, at the cancer cells to kill them with little damage to nearby normal tissues. Charged-particle radiation therapy uses a different type of radiation than the x-ray type of radiation therapy.
Gamma Knife radiosurgery may be used for some melanomas. This non- surgical treatment aims tightly focused gamma rays directly at the tumor so there is little damage to healthy tissue. Gamma Knife is a type of stereotactic radiosurgery.
Photocoagulation
Photocoagulation is a procedure that uses laser light to destroy blood vessels that supply nutrients to the tumor, causing the tumor cells to die. Photocoagulation may be used to treat small tumors. This is also called light coagulation.
Thermotherapy
Thermotherapy is the use of heat to destroy cancer cells. Thermotherapy may be given using:
- A laser beam aimed through the dilated pupil or onto the outside of the eyeball.
- Ultrasound.
- Microwaves.
- Infrared radiation (light that cannot be seen but can be felt as heat).
New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials.
Information about clinical trials is available from the
NCI Web
site.
Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial.
For some patients, taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice. Clinical trials are part of the cancer research process. Clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment.
Many of today's standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials. Patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment.
Patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future. Even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments, they often answer important questions and help move research forward.
Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment.
Some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment. Other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better. There are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring (coming back) or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment.
Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. See the Treatment Options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials. These have been retrieved from NCI's clinical trials database.
Follow-up tests may be needed.
Some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated. Some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working. Decisions about whether to continue, change, or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests. This is sometimes called re-staging.
Some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended. The results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred (come back). These tests are sometimes called follow-up tests or check-ups.
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