Tracking Which Freckles Become Tumors
Not infrequently a worried WebMD community member writes about findings made during a routine eye examination. Often it is the presence of a flat, pigmented mole in the back of the eye. The patient is beset with the news and the doctor departs without giving a complete explanation. (Perhaps the doctor gave a thorough explanation but the fretful patient was unable to process the information.)
There are several pigmented moles inside the eye but a choroidal nevus is the one that demands the most scrutiny. Choroidal locates the freckle to a layer of tissue underneath the retina - nevus means a benign growth of pigmented cells. Most choroidal nevi are safe and are managed with periodic exams. A small percentage of these nevi, however, can grow and become a choroidal malignant melanoma.
Eye specialists have recently published clinical data in the British Journal of Ophthalmology that describe long-term followup of patients with choroidal nevi. This study ran for 20 years and evalauted 659 patients. This is a select group. Most patients with choroidal nevi are never seen by an eye doctor because they have no symptoms or nobody looked. These 659 were referred for ongoing evaluation, making it a skewed population.
Painless ultrasound imaging was very effective in predicting which choroidal nevi would misbehave. It ended up that 17 (2.9%) within this study group developed choroidal melanoma at the site of previous nevi. 2.9%! Remember, it's a skewed population! The ultrasound device measured both the size of the moles and their internal composition. A minimum of eighteen months' followup was necessary before any nevus exhibited changes sufficient to call the lesion melanoma.
What does this new information mean? Most choroidal nevi remain benign in the vast majority of cases and expert ultrasound studies can help identify the earliest changes before any trouble starts.
Related Topics: Melanoma Skin Cancer Strikes Again, Summer Buyer's Guide: Sunglasses
Technorati Tags: skin cancer, melanoma, choroidal nevus
There are several pigmented moles inside the eye but a choroidal nevus is the one that demands the most scrutiny. Choroidal locates the freckle to a layer of tissue underneath the retina - nevus means a benign growth of pigmented cells. Most choroidal nevi are safe and are managed with periodic exams. A small percentage of these nevi, however, can grow and become a choroidal malignant melanoma.
Eye specialists have recently published clinical data in the British Journal of Ophthalmology that describe long-term followup of patients with choroidal nevi. This study ran for 20 years and evalauted 659 patients. This is a select group. Most patients with choroidal nevi are never seen by an eye doctor because they have no symptoms or nobody looked. These 659 were referred for ongoing evaluation, making it a skewed population.
Painless ultrasound imaging was very effective in predicting which choroidal nevi would misbehave. It ended up that 17 (2.9%) within this study group developed choroidal melanoma at the site of previous nevi. 2.9%! Remember, it's a skewed population! The ultrasound device measured both the size of the moles and their internal composition. A minimum of eighteen months' followup was necessary before any nevus exhibited changes sufficient to call the lesion melanoma.
What does this new information mean? Most choroidal nevi remain benign in the vast majority of cases and expert ultrasound studies can help identify the earliest changes before any trouble starts.
Related Topics: Melanoma Skin Cancer Strikes Again, Summer Buyer's Guide: Sunglasses
Technorati Tags: skin cancer, melanoma, choroidal nevus
8 Comments:
I have just found I have a "freckle" in the back of my eye. I am recommened to be checked every 1 -2 years. Is 2 years ok? Is it really something to be concerned about? Or just ignored?
I have 4 light brown moles on the palms of my hands. I have 2, feels like lumps, on my scalp. I probably have over 100 moles all over my body. As I am researching on the internet, I am getting scared. Should I wait till my next derm appt or should I call for appt sooner? It has been 4 yrs since my last appt.
I have been seeing an eye specialist over the past year to monitor my choroidal nevi and he suggested that I need to have a colonoscopy. He says there is research that says there can be an association of multiple nevi with colon polyps and he called the syndrom gardenis syndrome. I have never heard of this and I can't find any info on it. Any insite would be appreciated. Thanks.
I just had an exam yesterday and a freckle was found. While he was doing the exam, I mentioned that early that same day I had a cancerous (small patch) removed from my hip. The type of cancer hasn't been determined yet. But my eye Dr.told me that he needs to see me in 6 months and needs to know the cancer results ASAP as it could be related to why I developed the freckle. If the leg cancer isn't malignant melanoma, could the freckle still be cancer? I'm scared.
In the above comment I failed to say that I am talking about an eye exam that found the freckle. And a small bit of cancer removed the same day from my leg. Sorry for the confusion...
My eye doctor tokd me I have a slightly elevated choriodal nevus, orange pigment. Told me to come back in 6 months. Could this turn malignant?
For questions about your specific situation, please visit Dr. Lloyd's Eye Disorders message board.
Thank you.
I have a brown freckle on the white part of my eye. Is there any procedure that can remove it or is there any type of contact lense that can cover it up ?
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