Cancer is a disease that has taken the medical world on the storm, which comes from different causes and affects almost any part of the human body. The research is continuous on such delicate matters, and the prevention rate is also increasing at a reasonable rate. However, individuals need to be aware of the details of such disease which can prove to be helpful at any rate. Cancer survival rate in the US.
Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells, and it may result in any part. There are many available diseases, but still, the alive disease that is to consider is Eye Melanoma, which can be called Eye Cancer in general terms.
What is Eye Melanoma?
One of the most common types of eye cancer, Melanoma is cancer that originates in the cells that form melanin (melanin is the pigment that gives the skin its color).
Most melanomas are said to have their origin from the skin, but there is a possibility that they form in different parts of the body such as the eye.
Most of the eye melanomas start in the uvea, as it commonly affects the eyeball.
Causes and symptoms
While the actual cause is not known, it happens when the cells multiply very rapidly, forming a lump of tissue that we call a tumor. The exact cause is still beneath the curtains, but there are a few kinds of people who are at higher risk of developing eye cancer, like
- People having a lighter shade of eye or hair color
- White skin tone
- High exposure to UV rays
- Unusual and excessive moles on the body.
Usually, there are no specific signs and symptoms of eye cancer. Sometimes they are diagnosed during the regular check-ups, which include
- Vision gets blurred
- A dark spot is visible in the iris region of the eye
- Poor vision
- Observing flashlight type or shadows
While these are an early signal, one should not avoid them and consult immediately to a doctor in case of any imbalanced sign.
Staging and grading
All are usually aware of the fact that cancer develops in stages, and that affects the type of treatment a patient can undergo. A TNM staging system is best for eye melanoma. TNM is the abbreviated form of tumor, node, and metastasis.
- Observation of tumor size is carried out under T, and also the information, if the tumor is small or big, can also be determined. They are indicated using notations like T1, T4, etc.where T1 suggests the cancer is still small and not dangerous while T4 may indicate a larger size of the tumor. A bigger tumor also has higher risks and dangers associated with it. It is a likely possibility that cancer has spread to other parts of the body
- If cancer has spread to the lymph nodes nearby or not can be observed using node. Similar to tumor notations, N0 and N1 can be helpful where N0 indicates no presence in lymph and N1 suggests the presence of lymph.
- Metastatic cancer means cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Metastases indicate it. M0 indicates cancer hasn’t spread to other organs while M1 shows a danger and warning sign that cancer has spread in the other organs of the human body.
Staging
- Early- another term like local can also be referred, which indicates that no other part is affected.
- Advanced – this is a sign that cancer has developed to other organs as well.
Grading
- Low grade:- Here the cells grow slowly and profoundly reflect the healthy cells
- High degree:- This type of cells grow more quickly and appear to be abnormal.
Diagnosing of Eye cancer
The doctors may ask the patient to follow up to a specialist if unsure. And once the doctor suspects any problems, he may ask the individual to undergo some tests or eye examinations to reveal the exact cause.
- Eye check-up using an ophthalmoscope
- Ultrasounds scan of eyes that involve high-frequency sound waves that are used to track the shape and size of the tumor.
- Fluorescent angiogram which first injects a dye in the eye and later captures the images of the subjected areas
- A case of conjunctival Melanoma may require the patient to undergo biopsy where a small piece of tissue or cell is removed from the body part using a needle.
Treatment of eye cancer
There are options for the practitioner as well as patients depending upon the various conditions and stages of tumor developed in a patient.
- Radiotherapy: – high energy rays emerge from a machine to the patient, and the radiation is used to kill the tumor cells.
- Surgery: – Surgery can be an option if the part of the tumor or in the worst case, the entire eye has to be taken out via surgery.
- transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT):- this cannot be taken as a single treatment, and it is used to reduce the risk of coming back.
- Cryotherapy:- After surgery, this treatment is used, which freezes the area to kill the remaining cancer cells and avoid further complications.
- Chemotherapy eye drops:- These eye drops are used after chemotherapy to ensure more comfort and to reduce the risk of the disease coming back.
Self-treatment: Doctors no doubt care to the fullest for the patient, but they can not be taking care of the patients anytime or anywhere. There are situations where one is expected to take the necessary precautions and preventions for themselves, where only some assistance is needed from a professional. Family and friends care, but something more amazing is when there is a doctor as a pocket assistant for the patient.
Treatment tracker is an assistant that will keep a record of symptoms which one feeds in it. And the reports can be generated likewise, which will altogether provide the individual with a handy option for assistance and a doctor one can talk to at any time.
Just one tap away from the personal assistant – a handy doctor in the pocket. Treatment Tracker can also prove to be helpful in keeping track of the health conditions of an individual at any instance.
