Malignant melanoma of the choroid in the eye

Posted by twocents @twocents, Nov 1, 2018

My husband was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma in his eye last May. He had a radioactive plate inserted in his eye for four days the beginning of June. The melanoma has a 50% chance of spreading to the lungs, lymph nodes and liver. Has anyone in this group experienced this diagnosis?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Melanoma & Skin Cancer Support Group.

I had my plate Therapy almost exactly 6 years ago. I had scans every six months and I was fine until the last one. And it’s quite a large cancer of liver. I had no idea. I just didn’t feel the greatest the last month or so. Breaks my heart.

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So sorry to hear this. Sending hugs

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@kimisout50

As far as brachytherapy unsure of terminology but I had a radiation patch put on the melanoma for 3 days and removed. It has been 2 years in Mayfor the patch There was no symptoms and was found by my optometrist and from there was referred to the oncologist. Now have follow up and CT scan every 6 months plus MRI . So far clean and will continue one day at a time

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The same happened with me, though now, after eight years, it has metastasied. My operation left me with the Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS).

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@kimisout50

As far as brachytherapy unsure of terminology but I had a radiation patch put on the melanoma for 3 days and removed. It has been 2 years in Mayfor the patch There was no symptoms and was found by my optometrist and from there was referred to the oncologist. Now have follow up and CT scan every 6 months plus MRI . So far clean and will continue one day at a time

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I'm so glad that you are doing so well, @kimisout50. You must be very pleased with your treatment. Your experience is a good one to share with others.

Will you keep posting and encouraging others?

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As far as brachytherapy unsure of terminology but I had a radiation patch put on the melanoma for 3 days and removed. It has been 2 years in Mayfor the patch There was no symptoms and was found by my optometrist and from there was referred to the oncologist. Now have follow up and CT scan every 6 months plus MRI . So far clean and will continue one day at a time

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@kimisout50

I have a melanoma in my eye and have received radiation treatment. I am in the low risk category but want you to know my thoughts are with you and will also continue “ one day at a time “

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Hello @kimisout50 and welcome to Mayo Connect. I see that you have had radiation therapy. Was this brachytherapy?

As you are new to this forum, I look forward to learning more about the journey with melanoma in your eye, please share as you are comfortable doing so, a little about your history with this diagnosis. How long ago were you diagnosed? What symptoms led to the diagnosis?

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I have a melanoma in my eye and have received radiation treatment. I am in the low risk category but want you to know my thoughts are with you and will also continue “ one day at a time “

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@eagleswings

I was diagnosed in March of 2024 with malignant melanoma of the choroid. My tumor is medium size and lobular. I had brachytherapy at MD Anderson in May. I had unusual complications afterward. My cornea is swollen (edema) and my pupil stayed dilated. It went down a little but is irregular shape and fixed. I have had extreme sensitivity to the light from both of this issues. My retina is also swollen. I have lost most of my vision in that eye. In January I had a partial cornea transplant to try and help the cornea swelling and get some sight back. It is minutely improved and my vision is not much if any better. Hoping time will help. I am also having a series of retina injections for the swollen retina. My doctor tells me that even after radiation, part of the tumor is still there. This tumor does not go away. I had the biopsy when I had brachytherapy. It won't do anything to help me. It tells when I will most likely metastasize. It will also help for further study for the future. My tumor is a Class 2 which puts me at a high risk of metastasizing at 3 years. Immunotherapy is the only treatment and will buy 15 months they tell me. If I get in a trial with the new drug and immunotherapy they tell me it will give me 22 months. It's a lot. I try to 'carry on' but it is hard. I hope that research will find more information, I am part of a research study. In the meantime, I have faith, hope and love and live every minute to the fullest. I would be interested, for those you have had brachytherapy what kind of treatments followed. I want to be a part of the discussion. I hope I haven't said anything that would upset any one. I too am thankful for each day. At first it was hard to not be able to see with that eye. I'm getting better! And it is really okay, just learning to adapt and sometimes laugh at myself! One day at a time, always a good idea. (I have been reading posts. I came to this discussion to hear how others are coping, what treatments they have, and to bring some kind of understanding to all of this. I will be honest. I don't know if I can do it. It makes all of this constant in my mind. Thoughts anyone??????)

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Your story is so inspirational and hopeful. God bless you as you go through your journey.

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@eagleswings

I was diagnosed in March of 2024 with malignant melanoma of the choroid. My tumor is medium size and lobular. I had brachytherapy at MD Anderson in May. I had unusual complications afterward. My cornea is swollen (edema) and my pupil stayed dilated. It went down a little but is irregular shape and fixed. I have had extreme sensitivity to the light from both of this issues. My retina is also swollen. I have lost most of my vision in that eye. In January I had a partial cornea transplant to try and help the cornea swelling and get some sight back. It is minutely improved and my vision is not much if any better. Hoping time will help. I am also having a series of retina injections for the swollen retina. My doctor tells me that even after radiation, part of the tumor is still there. This tumor does not go away. I had the biopsy when I had brachytherapy. It won't do anything to help me. It tells when I will most likely metastasize. It will also help for further study for the future. My tumor is a Class 2 which puts me at a high risk of metastasizing at 3 years. Immunotherapy is the only treatment and will buy 15 months they tell me. If I get in a trial with the new drug and immunotherapy they tell me it will give me 22 months. It's a lot. I try to 'carry on' but it is hard. I hope that research will find more information, I am part of a research study. In the meantime, I have faith, hope and love and live every minute to the fullest. I would be interested, for those you have had brachytherapy what kind of treatments followed. I want to be a part of the discussion. I hope I haven't said anything that would upset any one. I too am thankful for each day. At first it was hard to not be able to see with that eye. I'm getting better! And it is really okay, just learning to adapt and sometimes laugh at myself! One day at a time, always a good idea. (I have been reading posts. I came to this discussion to hear how others are coping, what treatments they have, and to bring some kind of understanding to all of this. I will be honest. I don't know if I can do it. It makes all of this constant in my mind. Thoughts anyone??????)

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@eagleswings, just checking in. You mention that you are part of a research study. Is this a study with immunotherapy treatment? Have you started treatment?

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