Treatment of Intraocular (Uveal) Melanoma

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Iris Melanoma

Treatment of iris melanoma may include the following:

• Watchful waiting.
• Surgery (resection or enucleation).
• Plaque radiation therapy, for tumors that cannot be removed by surgery.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Ciliary Body Melanoma

Treatment of ciliary body melanoma may include the following:

• Plaque radiation therapy.
• Charged-particle external-beam radiation therapy.
• Surgery (resection or enucleation).

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Choroid Melanoma

Treatment of small choroid melanoma may include the following:

• Watchful waiting.
• Plaque radiation therapy.
• Charged-particle external-beam radiation therapy.
• Gamma Knife therapy.
• Thermotherapy.
• Surgery (resection or enucleation).

Treatment of medium choroid melanoma may include the following:

• Plaque radiation therapy with or without photocoagulation or thermotherapy.
• Charged-particle external-beam radiation therapy.
• Surgery (resection or enucleation).

Treatment of large choroid melanoma may include the following:

• Enucleation when the tumor is too large for treatments that save the eye.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Extraocular Extension Melanoma and Metastatic Intraocular (Uveal) Melanoma

Treatment of extraocular extension melanoma that has spread to the bone around the eye may include the following:

• Surgery (exenteration).
• A clinical trial.

An effective treatment for metastatic intraocular melanoma has not been found. A clinical trial may be a treatment option. Talk with your doctor about your treatment options.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Recurrent Intraocular (Uveal) Melanoma

An effective treatment for recurrent intraocular melanoma has not been found. A clinical trial may be a treatment option. Talk with your doctor about your treatment options.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.