Metastases rates decrease with early treatment of uveal melanoma

Five-year mortality/metastases rates after early treatment in patients with uveal melanoma with Class 2 Gene Expression Profiling (GEP) was 4.8%, according to new study data presented at ASRS 2022. This represents a marked improvement from previously reported melanoma metastatic rates of 78%.

In this IRB-approved consecutive case series, 21 patients with small malignant melanoma were treated with primary 125-Iodine brachytherapy or direct endolaser surgical ablation.

At a mean follow-up of 64 month, 20 out of 21 patients were alive and 1 patient had died from melanoma metastatic disease. All eyes showed local tumor control. The mean Visual acuity was 20/40.

Overall, 12 eyes developed retinopathy and were treated with anti-VEGF therapy.

“This data further supports the benefit of early tumor intervention for small ocular melanomas,” the presenter noted. “Further, this report notes local tumor control of virtually 100% for both 125-Iodine brachytherapy and direct MIVS endolaser tumor ablation.”

Reference
Murray T. Early Targeted Treatment for Uveal Melanoma Markedly Reduces Mortality: Evaluation of a Large Cohort of Class 2 GEP-Treated Small Ocular Melanoma Patients. Presented at: ASRS 2022.