Thursday 4 February 2016

Will eye cancer spread to liver? Only tests can tell



Ophthalmologists don't have to guess about the chances of cancer spreading in their patients anymore. With simple tests on the tumour, they will now be able to tell eye melanoma patients if their tumour will spread to the liver -a condition seen in 50% of such patients.On the eve of International Cancer Day , experts at Sankara Nethralaya said the new option lets doctors do a molecular screening of tumours that shows if uveal melanoma -cancer involving parts of eye -will develop into secondary malignant growths in the liver. Experts classify tumours into two groups.Class 1-that occurs in half the patients -is cured once the tumour is removed.In class 2, most patients die as the cancer re-emerges in the liver. “Until now, tests done in India could not predict if it would happen. Doctors had to guess the chances of recurrence by seeing the size of the tumour and the kind of cells ,“ said Dr S Krishnakumar, deputy director, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya.
“Data from studies of the test we did showed that we could almost accurately say which of our patients are in class 2 and in whom it will spread to the liver. The spread to the liver cannot be stopped or delayed, but we know there is hope,“ he said. This molecular test is offered only to people detected with melanoma. The results will either reassure them that they will be cured, or prepare them for the next stage of the cancer.


SOURCE::: Feb 04 2016 : The Times of India (Mumbai), p.19
http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31804&articlexml=Will-eye-cancer-spread-to-liver-Only-tests-04022016017036

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