Eye Cancer
Integrative Treatment Options for All Stages of Eye Cancer
Eye Cancer Natural Treatment Center
Eye cancers are the only type of disease affecting the eye that threatens both the patient’s vision and life. Diagnoses are typically made through a combination of detailed clinical history and an ocular examination.
What Is Eye Cancer?
Eye cancer is any cancer that begins in the eye. This occurs when cells develop mutations in their DNA that cause them to grow rapidly. The cells accumulate into a tumor, which can invade tissue in close proximity or separate and spread to distant areas of the body.
The most common type of eye cancer is melanoma.
Types of Eye Cancer
There are several different types of cancer affecting the eye and surrounding structures. Cancers that develop in the eyeball itself are known as intraocular cancers. Primary intraocular cancers begin in the eye, and secondary intraocular cancers start elsewhere in the body and spread to the eye. Secondary intraocular cancers are generally named according to their origin, and the most common types of cancers that spread to the eye are lung and breast cancers.
In adults, the most frequently diagnosed primary intraocular cancers include melanoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In children, the most common primary intraocular cancers are retinoblastoma (affecting the retina) and medulloepithelioma.
Intraocular melanoma is the most common cancer that grows within the eyeball in adults. It develops from the melanocytes, the cells that produce pigment. Eye melanoma can begin in either the uvea or the conjunctiva:
- Uveal melanomas develop in the uvea, the middle layer of the eyeball encompassing the iris (the colored part of the eye), the choroid (a thin layer that lines the eyeball and supports the retina), and the ciliary body (which holds the eye muscles responsible for focusing on near and far away objects). About 90 percent of uveal melanomas form in the choroid or ciliary body. These can spread via the bloodstream to other areas of the body, a process known as metastasizing. Almost 50 percent of patients experience metastatic disease, which often involves the liver. Other uveal melanomas form in the iris – these are typically slow-growing and rarely spread.
- Conjunctival melanomas develop in the conjunctiva, a thin, clear layer that stretches over the sclera, the white of the eye. These melanomas are rare and often more aggressive and likely to spread. Conjunctival melanomas can invade the lungs, liver, or brain via the bloodstream and lymph system, becoming life-threatening.
Sometimes, the term "eye cancer" refers to orbital and adnexal cancers, which affect the orbit (the tissue surrounding the eyeball) and the adnexal structures (such as the eyelids and tear glands). Orbital and adnexal cancers include:
- Eyelid cancers, which are typically skin cancer such as basal and melanoma skin cancer
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma that starts in the eye
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Eye Cancer?
The signs and symptoms of eye cancer are not always easily detectable and are often identified during routine eye tests and examinations. However, some patients do experience symptoms, including the following:
- A dark area on the eye that is growing larger
- A growing lump on the eyelid or in the eyeball
- Blurry vision
- One eye bulging
- Pain in and around the eye – this symptom is rare
- Partial or total vision loss
- Wavey lines, flashes of light, or shadows in their vision
These symptoms can be caused by conditions other than cancer. However, those who are concerned should visit their doctor.
What Are the Causes and Risk Factors for Eye Melanoma?
Eye melanoma is the most common type of eye cancer. It occurs when healthy eye cells develop mutations in their DNA that cause them to multiply rapidly and grow out of control. These cells also continue living beyond the stage in which they would normally die. Over time, the cells accumulate and form a melanoma.
Risk factors that can increase a person’s likelihood of developing eye melanoma include the following:
- Abnormal skin pigmentation on and around the eyelids and nearby tissue and increased levels of pigmentation on the uvea (a condition called ocular melanocytosis)
- Being white, as white people are at a greater risk of eye melanoma than people of other races
- Inherited skin disorders, such as dysplastic nevus syndrome, which results in abnormal moles
- Light-colored eyes, including blue and green eyes
- Older age, as the risk of eye melanoma increases over time
- Some genetic mutations, which are passed from parents to their children
- Ultraviolet light (UV) exposure, such as light from the sun or tanning beds
How We Treat Eye Cancer Holistically
Conventional treatments for eye melanoma, for example, include radiation therapy, laser treatment, and surgical removal of either the melanoma or the entire eye (called enucleation). However, some patients seek alternative, holistic treatment for eye melanoma or another eye cancer, and that’s where Brio-Medical can help.
We believe in treating every patient as an individual with a unique set of needs, wants, challenges, and preferences. Leveraging leading-edge medical technology and natural therapies, we empower our patients’ bodies and strengthen their immune systems so they can combat disease while preserving their quality of life.
For eye cancer, photodynamic therapy and cryotherapy are two examples of non-toxic treatment options. If you would like to learn more, please schedule a free consultation with our patient care coordinators. They’d be more than happy to help you embark on a journey toward health, wellness, and vitality.
Resources:
- Chattopadhyay, Chandrani et al. “Uveal melanoma: From diagnosis to treatment and the science in between.” Cancer vol. 122,15 (2016): 2299-312. doi:10.1002/cncr.29727
- Jager, Martine J et al. “Uveal melanoma.” Nature reviews. Disease primers vol. 6,1 24. 9 Apr. 2020, doi:10.1038/s41572-020-0158-0
- Jovanovic, Predrag et al. “Ocular melanoma: an overview of the current status.” International journal of clinical and experimental pathology vol. 6,7 1230-44. 15 Jun. 2013
- Kleinstein, R N, and H F Lehman. “Incidence and prevalence of eye cancer.” American journal of optometry and physiological optics vol. 54,1 (1977): 49-51. doi:10.1097/00006324-197701000-00008
- Maheshwari, Abhilasha, and Paul T Finger. “Cancers of the eye.” Cancer metastasis reviews vol. 37,4 (2018): 677-690. doi:10.1007/s10555-018-9762-9
