title: Ocular melanoma:  what's new?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this review was to summarize available data on uveal melanoma biology and treatment in order to provide the medical community with a basic reference that would help to make further progress in this rare disease, which remains difficult to treat.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most relevant recent findings driving current clinical developments are in the elucidation of uveal melanoma genetics and genomics. The key driving mutations - that differ completely from cutaneous melanoma - have been identified. Based on the novel insights into key signaling pathways, the first clinical trials with targeted treatments have been implemented. However, systemic and regional chemotherapy approaches as well as other regional treatment modalities for liver metastases are also a major part of the current treatment armamentarium and are prospectively being evaluated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, the recent biological findings and the creation of a series of clinical trials underscore how the international community is able to perform relevant advances in an extremely rare disease.
authors.affiliation: Centre Pluridisciplinaire d'Oncologie, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leyvraz
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Keilholz
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D044385:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits / Q000235:genetics; D043802:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D000098943:Uveal Melanoma
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C554062:GNA11 protein, human; C554061:GNAQ protein, human; D044385:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D043802:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11