Eye cancer can affect all parts of the eye, eyelid, and orbit (the tissues around the eye).
They can be divided into primary cancer (starts within the eye) and metastatic cancer (from another organ). The two most common cancers that spread to the eye from another organ are breast cancer and lung cancer. Other less common sites of origin include the prostate, kidney, thyroid, skin, colon lymphoma and leukemia.
The most common malignant primary intraocular tumor in adults is melanoma. Though most attention is given to posterior choroidal melanoma, these tumors can also occur in the iris and ciliary body. Then they are called iris or ciliary body melanoma.
The most common malignant intraocular tumor in children is called retinoblastoma. Affecting approximately 325 children per year in North America, early detection has allowed for cures exceeding 95%.
The most common orbital malignancy is orbital lymphoma. This tumor can be diagnosed by biopsy with histopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis. Most patients with orbital lymphoma can be offered chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the
"Eye cancer".
Home Page • arts • business • computers • games • health • hospitals • home • kids & teens • news • physicians • recreation• reference • regional • science • shopping • society • sports • world