The standard treatment is removal of the eye or local radiation therapy, which, unfortunately, can lead to severe vision loss. For patients with metastatic disease, treatment options are currently limited, and the condition is usually incurable.

Cancer virotherapy offers a promising, new experimental approach. This therapy uses so-called oncolytic viruses, which specifically attack and destroy cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. In addition, these viruses activate the immune system, enabling the body to fight the cancer on its own. This approach has not yet been systematically studied in ocular melanoma.

The research team emphasizes that cancer virotherapy could be a “game changer” and improve outcomes for patients with ocular melanoma.

Source: LUMC