Fascinating update on eye cancer at AAO 2022. Ocular melanoma or, more specifically, uveal melanoma is a relatively rare but deadly cancer. Despite significant improvements in local treatments of primary tumors, up to 50% of patients develop metastasis.
What if a patientâs risk for metastasis could be determined by a simple blood test? Thatâs the ultimate goal of a âliquid biopsyâ for uveal melanoma. Liquid biopsy involves the sampling of tumor-derived molecules in body fluids such as blood. This would be a big improvement over an invasive biopsy, which carries rare, but severe complications, including hemorrhage, retinal detachment, and cataract. A liquid biopsy would provide not only biomarkers of disease, but also tumor-derived molecules that can be exploited noninvasively to better understand the disease. Itâs not yet ready for prime time, but itâs a developing and exciting field. Didnât make it to AAO 2022? You can still register until Jan. 17, 2023 Learn more aao.org/2022
If you registered for the meeting, The AAO 2022 Virtual Meeting platform is open through 11:59 p.m. ET on Jan. 31, 2023. After Jan. 31, you will still be able to access sessions on-demand and claim CME credit (professional attendees only) through Aug. 1, 2023.
