7/26/2018 0 Comments Uveal Melanoma in AlabamaWith the recent increase in discussion of uveal melanomas in Alabama, we thought it would be a great time to review the diagnosis and treatment options. Many of you have likely read the Department of Public Health announcement on the topic or you may have seen the Facebook groups with people who have ties to Auburn. Uveal Melanoma, which typically affects five in one million people, has been diagnosed in five individuals who either attended or worked at Auburn University. As of May 3, 2018, a reported 316 cases of uveal melanoma had been reported among Alabama residents from 2006 to 2015. The situation in Auburn received national attention when Dr. Takami Sato, Professor of Medical Oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University, saw a former Auburn University student in his office who had been diagnosed with uveal melanoma.
Understanding how rare uveal melanoma is, Dr. Sato was alarmed when the patient noted that three of her dormitory friends had the same disease. The importance of catching uveal melanoma early cannot be overstated. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate is about 80 percent when the cancer can be confined to the eye, but drops significantly to 15 percent once it has spread. These numbers show the urgency of knowing and understanding how to diagnose and treat uveal melanoma. Dr. Michael Eddins will be taking a deeper dive into the diagnosis and treatment of uveal melanoma during his lecture at the 2018 VisionAmerica Summer Conference. If you have questions about uveal melanoma within your area or practice, please do not hesitate to reply to this email. We will help in any way we can!
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