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Did you know that you can get cancer in your eyes? What is the most common eye cancer?
In daily life, the eyes are regarded as the windows of the soul, carrying the important function of perceiving the world. However, many people may not know that the eyes can also be affected by cancer. According to medical research, intraocular tumors (i.e., eye tumors) are relatively rare types. These tumors may be benign or malignant (cancer) and are commonly referred to as eye cancer. Eye cancer can be divided into primary (which starts inside the eye) and metastatic (which spreads to the eye from other organs in the body).
The most common cancers that metastasize to the eye come from breast and lung cancer, with other less common sources including the prostate, kidneys, thyroid, skin, colon, and blood or bone marrow.
Types of eye cancer
Ocular tumors can be benign, such as epidermal cysts, or malignant, such as rhabdomyosarcoma and retinoblastoma. On the eyelids, the most common malignant tumor is basal cell carcinoma, which, although it can grow, does not often spread to other parts of the body. Other common eyelid cancers include squamous cell carcinoma, sebaceous carcinoma and malignant melanoma.
Risks for adults and children
In adults, the most common malignant primary intraocular tumor is scleral melanoma, which can occur in the choroid, iris, and ciliary body. In children, the most common malignant intraocular tumor is retinoblastoma, affecting approximately 325 North American children each year. With technological advancements in early detection, the cure rate has exceeded 95%.
The second most common intraocular tumor is ventricular epithelioma, which occurs in the ciliary body and choroid of the eye.
Symptoms and diagnosis of eye cancer
Intraocular melanoma may have no obvious symptoms in the early stages, and patients are often discovered by ophthalmologists during routine examinations. Once the tumor grows, blurred vision, decreased vision, double vision, and ultimately vision loss may occur. If it continues to grow, the tumor may even break through the retina, causing retinal detachment.
Symptoms of retinoblastoma include strabismus, a white or yellow light shining through the pupils, decreased or loss of vision, and sometimes the eyes may be red, swollen, and painful.
Diagnosis and treatment methods
Diagnosis of eye cancer usually requires professional evaluation by a doctor, including biopsy and other imaging tests. In terms of treatment, doctors can choose the most appropriate radiation therapy based on the size and location of the tumor. Today's modern radiation therapy modalities, such as proton therapy, offer superiority in dose delivery precision, helping to protect healthy tissue and the sensitive optic nerve.
Multiple treatment strategies
The treatment of eye cancer usually requires the collaboration of multiple professionals, including ophthalmologists, medical oncologists, radiologists, and otolaryngologists. The cooperation of the multidisciplinary team not only focuses on tumor removal, but also on the preservation of vision and the overall health of the patient.
Treatment methods include laser therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, etc. In some cases, eyeball removal surgery may be required.
Conclusion
To summarize, eye cancer is a health problem that cannot be ignored. Understanding its related knowledge can allow us to better prevent and detect early. So, how seriously do you take eye health?
