Common risk factors in the development of uveal melanoma include:<ref name="pmid19167086">{{cite journal| author=Weis E, Shah CP, Lajous M, Shields JA, Shields CL| title=The association of cutaneous and iris nevi with uveal melanoma: a meta-analysis. | journal=Ophthalmology | year= 2009 | volume= 116 | issue= 3 | pages= 536-543.e2 | pmid=19167086 | doi=10.1016/j.ophtha.2008.10.008 | pmc= | url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=sumsearch.org/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=19167086 }} </ref><ref name="pmid16401785">{{cite journal| author=Weis E, Shah CP, Lajous M, Shields JA, Shields CL| title=The association between host susceptibility factors and uveal melanoma: a meta-analysis. | journal=Arch Ophthalmol | year= 2006 | volume= 124 | issue= 1 | pages= 54-60 | pmid=16401785 | doi=10.1001/archopht.124.1.54 | pmc= | url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=sumsearch.org/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=16401785 }} </ref><ref name="pmid16051363">{{cite journal| author=Shah CP, Weis E, Lajous M, Shields JA, Shields CL| title=Intermittent and chronic ultraviolet light exposure and uveal melanoma: a meta-analysis. | journal=Ophthalmology | year= 2005 | volume= 112 | issue= 9 | pages= 1599-607 | pmid=16051363 | doi=10.1016/j.ophtha.2005.04.020 | pmc= | url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=sumsearch.org/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=16051363 }} </ref>
*Ultraviolet light exposure
*Caucasian race
*Host pigmentation factors
**Light eye color
**Fair skin color
**Propensity to sunburn
*Inherited skin disorders
**Certain inherited skin disorders such as [[dysplastic nevus syndrome]] may increase the risk of developing melanoma on skin and in eye. Some people with ocular melanocytosis with abnormal skin pigmentation involving the eyelids and adjacent tissues and increased pigmentation on their uvea have an increased risk of developing eye melanoma.
**Approximately 0.6% uveal melanomas are considered to be familial. Uveal melanomas may occur as a part of familial syndromes such as xeroderma pigmentosa, [[Li-Fraumeni syndrome]] and [[familial]] [[breast]] and [[ovarian cancer]]. Approximately 0.0017% of the primary uveal melanoma patients were in the setting of [[familial]] atypical mole and melanoma syndrome (FAMM). Patients with this syndrome were relatively young with a mean age of 40 years. An association of [[neurofibromatosis type 1]] and uveal melanoma has also been suggested as both are of neural crest origin. Oculodermal and ocular melanocytosis, [[dysplastic nevi]] and cutaneous melanoma are associated with an increased risk of uveal melanoma development. [[Ocular]] and oculodermal melanocytosis are approximately 35 to 70 times more common in uveal melanoma patients.<ref name="vanKoopmans2013">{{cite journal|last1=van|first1=J.G.M.|last2=Koopmans|first2=A.E.|last3=Verdijk|first3=R.M.|last4=Naus|first4=N.C.|last5=de|first5=A.|last6=Kilic|first6=E.|title=Diagnosis, Histopathologic and Genetic Classification of Uveal Melanoma|year=2013|doi=10.5772/53631}}</ref>
*Cutaneous and iris nevi
**Atypical [[cutaneous]] [[nevi]]
**Common cutaneous [[nevi]]
**Cutaneous [[freckles]]
**[[Iris]] [[nevi]]
***The risk of progression of iris nevi to melanoma at 5, 10, 15, and 20 years is 3, 4, 8, and 11 percent, respectively. Significant risks factors associated with an increased risk of transformation include younger age, inferior location, diffuse pigmentation, presence of blood in the [[lesion]], [[ectropion]], and a feathery margin.<ref name="pmid23290981">{{cite journal| author=Shields CL, Kaliki S, Hutchinson A, Nickerson S, Patel J, Kancherla S et al.| title=Iris nevus growth into melanoma: analysis of 1611 consecutive eyes: the ABCDEF guide. | journal=Ophthalmology | year= 2013 | volume= 120 | issue= 4 | pages= 766-72 | pmid=23290981 | doi=10.1016/j.ophtha.2012.09.042 | pmc= | url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=sumsearch.org/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=23290981 }} </ref>
**[[Choroidal]] [[nevi]]
***Generally, choroidal melanoma arises in pigmented nevi. The risk of progression to melanoma at 5, 10, and 15 years is 9, 13, and 17 percent, respectively.<ref name="pmid19667334">{{cite journal| author=Shields CL, Furuta M, Berman EL, Zahler JD, Hoberman DM, Dinh DH et al.| title=Choroidal nevus transformation into melanoma: analysis of 2514 consecutive cases. | journal=Arch Ophthalmol | year= 2009 | volume= 127 | issue= 8 | pages= 981-7 | pmid=19667334 | doi=10.1001/archophthalmol.2009.151 | pmc= | url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=sumsearch.org/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=19667334 }} </ref>
***Significant risk factors associated with an increased risk of transformation of choroidal nevi to [[choroidal melanoma]] include the following:
****Thickness greater than 2 mm
****Subretinal fluid accumulation
****Symptoms such as decreased vision and presence of flashes or floaters
Common risk factors in the development of uveal melanoma are cutaneous and irisnevi, host pigmentation factors, ultraviolet light exposure, caucasian race, and certain inherited skin disorders such as dysplastic nevus syndrome and ocular melanocytosis.
Risk Factors
Common risk factors in the development of uveal melanoma include [risk factor 1], [risk factor 2], [risk factor 3], and [risk factor 4].
Common Risk Factors
Common risk factors in the development of uveal melanoma include:
Age: The mean age for uveal melanoma is 55 years old and its incidence drops after 70 years of age.
Gender: Males are more commonly affected with uveal melanoma than females.
Race: Whites are more commonly affected by uveal melanoma than blacks.
Less common risk factors in the development of [disease name] include:
[Risk factor 1]
[Risk factor 2]
[Risk factor 3]
References
↑Reese, Algernon B. (1944). "Pigment Freckles of the Iris (Benign Melanomas): Their Significance in Relation to Malignant Melanoma of the Uvea⋆". American Journal of Ophthalmology. 27 (3): 217–226. doi:10.1016/S0002-9394(44)91382-6. ISSN0002-9394.
↑Fisher, M.; Kripke, M. (1982). "Suppressor T lymphocytes control the development of primary skin cancers in ultraviolet-irradiated mice". Science. 216 (4550): 1133–1134. doi:10.1126/science.6210958. ISSN0036-8075.
↑"Risk Factors for Ocular Melanoma: Western Canada Melanoma Study<xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN1">2</xref><xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN2">3</xref>". JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 1985. doi:10.1093/jnci/74.4.775. ISSN1460-2105.