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Advances in Eye Cancer Research and Clinical Management

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A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 February 2022) | Viewed by 6494

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Hakan Demirci

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

The University of the Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Interests: translational approach to early diagnosis of eye cancers; targeted treatment of intraocular tumors; prevention of metastasis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Our understanding and management of eye cancers, including eyelids, conjunctiva, orbit and intraocular tumors, have significantly improved in recent years. The application of new techniques has allowed us to better understand genetic basis and molecular features of eye cancers and to translate them into clinical practice. Prognostic information from fine needle aspiration in uveal melanoma, liquid biopsy from aqueous humor in retinoblastoma or more accurate diagnosis of intraocular lymphoma by evaluating B cells in vitreous are just some recent examples of this translation into clinical practice. The use of multimodal imaging of eye cancers has characterized the imaging features of the tumors, which has led to an increased accuracy in the assessment of size and extent, as well as in the diagnosis. The recent introduction of targeted therapies, such as Hedgehog pathway inhibitors in the basal cell carcinoma, anti-VGEF therapy in the radiation maculopathy, and immunotherapy in the conjunctival melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma, has significantly improved the outcome of eye cancers.

This Special Issue of Cancers will present the advances in the above mentioned topics in the treatment of eye cancers.

Prof. Dr. Hakan Demirci
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Melanoma
Metastasis
Retinoblastoma
Squamous cell carcinoma
Sebaceous carcinoma
Choroid
Uvea
Conjunctiva
Orbita
Eyelid
Eye

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 921 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating Vitreous Cytokines in Choroidal Melanoma

by Hakan Demirci, Lu Tang, F. Yesim Demirci, Cem Ozgonul, Sarah Weber and Jeffrey Sundstrom

Cancers 2023, 15(14), 3701; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15143701 - 21 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 994

Abstract

Due to the close relationship between the vitreous and posterior eye layers, the microenvironment of these layers can affect the composition of the vitreous. Molecular analysis of the vitreous may therefore provide important insights into the pathogenesis of chorioretinal diseases. In this study, vitreous cytokines (n = 41) were evaluated to gain further insights into the tumor microenvironment in uveal melanoma (UM) arising from the choroid (CM). Cytokine levels were measured using a bead-based multiplex immunoassay panel in vitreous samples obtained from 32 eyes, including 18 with CM and 14 controls. Median fluorescence intensity values were extracted and used as relative quantification of the cytokine abundance. Vitreous cytokine levels were compared between the CM and non-CM groups and between different prognostic categories within the CM group (classified as having low or high metastatic risk using tumor biopsy-based gene expression profiling). Correlations between vitreous cytokine levels and tumor dimensions were also evaluated. Our analysis revealed twenty-six vitreous cytokines significantly upregulated in CM-affected eyes compared to the control eyes. Within the CM group, six vitreous cytokines showed altered levels (five upregulated and one downregulated) in eyes with high- vs. low-risk tumors. Levels of these six plus several other cytokines showed correlations with the tumor dimensions. In conclusion, our study has uncovered several UM-relevant vitreous cytokines, worthy of follow-up in larger studies as potential candidates for liquid biopsy-based biomarker development and/or new therapeutic targeting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Eye Cancer Research and Clinical Management)

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17 pages, 2014 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Prognostic Hematologic Biomarkers Following Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in Metastatic Uveal Melanoma

by Jessica J. Waninger, Leslie A. Fecher, Christopher Lao, Sarah Yentz, Michael D. Green and Hakan Demirci

Cancers 2022, 14(23), 5789; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14235789 - 24 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1202

Abstract

Background: There is no standardized treatment for metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM) but immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are increasingly used. While ICI has transformed the survival of metastatic cutaneous melanoma, MUM patients do not equally benefit. Factors known to affect ICI response include the hematologic markers, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (NLR). We evaluated the prognostic value of LDH and NLR at the start of ICI and on treatment in MUM. Methods: MUM patients were treated between August 2006 and May 2022 with combination ipilimumab/nivolumab or ipilimumab/nivolumab/pembrolizumab single-agent therapy. Univariable (UVA) and multivariable (MVA) analyses were used to assess the prognostic value of predefined baseline factors on progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: In forty-six patients with MUM treated with ICI, elevated baseline and on-treatment LDH was prognostic for OS (start of ICI, HR (95% CI): 3.6 (1.9–7.0), p < 0.01; on-treatment, HR (95% CI): 3.7 (1.6–8.8), p < 0.01) and PFS (start of ICI, (HR (95% CI): 2.8 (1.5–5.4), p < 0.0001); on-treatment LDH (HR (95% CI): 2.2 (1.1–4.3), p < 0.01). On-treatment NLR was prognostic for PFS (HR (95% CI): 1.9 (1.0–3.9), p < 0.01). On-treatment LDH remained an important contributor to survival on MVA (OS: HR (95% CI): 1.001 (1.00–1.002), p < 0.05); PFS: HR (95% CI): 1.001 (1.00–1.002), p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that LDH and NLR could be useful in the prognostication of MUM patients treated with ICI. Additional studies are needed to confirm the importance of these and other prognostic biomarkers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Eye Cancer Research and Clinical Management)

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10 pages, 1697 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Clinical Feature and Treatment Outcome of Ocular Melanoma: A 34-Year Experience in a Tertiary Referral Center

by Yu-Yun Huang, Tzu-Yu Hou, Wei-Kuang Yu, Chieh-Chih Tsai, Shu-Ching Kao, Wen-Ming Hsu and Jui-Ling (Catherine) Liu

Cancers 2021, 13(23), 5926; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13235926 - 25 Nov 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1596

Abstract

Malignant melanoma can arise from melanocytes in various structures of the eye, orbit, and ocular adnexa. We reviewed the clinical features and long-term results of all subjects with histologically proved melanoma originating from any of the ocular and periocular structures in a tertiary referral center. Overall, 88 patients including 47 men were recruited. The tumor was primarily located in the uvea, followed by the conjunctiva, orbit, eyelid, and lacrimal sac. Patients with uveal melanoma were diagnosed at a relatively younger age (47.0 years), while those with orbital and eyelid melanomas were older at presentation (79.5 years and 78.5 years, respectively). The overall local recurrence rate was 9% at a median follow-up of 41.0 months, among which orbital and eyelid melanomas recurred most commonly. The overall mortality rate was 41% in a median duration of 27.2 months (IQR, 13–58 months) from diagnosis, with the highest for lacrimal sac melanoma, followed by melanoma of the orbit, uveal, conjunctiva, and eyelid. Despite prompt local control, the risk for metastasis and mortality was high. Therefore, efficient modalities for early diagnosis and treatment of ocular melanoma are necessary. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Eye Cancer Research and Clinical Management)

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Other

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14 pages, 1111 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Central Nervous System Progression in Primary Vitreoretinal Lymphoma with Bilateral and Unilateral Involvement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Josephus L. M. van Rooij, Klaudia A. Tokarska, Ninette H. ten Dam-van Loon, Peter H. Wessels, Tatjana Seute, Monique C. Minnema and Tom J. Snijders

Cancers 2022, 14(12), 2967; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14122967 - 16 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1910

Abstract

Background: Primary vitreoretinal lymphoma (PVRL) is either unilateral or bilateral at initial presentation. Progression to a central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma is regularly observed and these patients seem to have an inferior survival. Knowledge of the predictive value of laterality for CNS progression may facilitate risk stratification and the development of more effective treatment strategies, and eventually, improve outcomes. The objective of this analysis is to estimate the risk of CNS progression for patients with bilateral versus unilateral involvement of PVRL. Methods: Systematic literature search for studies on CNS progression in PVRL with bilateral and unilateral involvement according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We assessed the risk of bias and the methodological quality of studies using the Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool. Risk ratios of CNS progression in PVRL with bilateral and unilateral involvement were calculated and combined via a meta-analysis. Results: Twenty-five small-sized (total n = 371 cases) studies were included. The majority of the studies were at medium to high risk of bias. Results suggest no significant difference in CNS progression between bilateral and unilateral PVRL, with a pooled relative risk ratio of 1.12 (95% confidence interval 0.89–1.41). Conclusions: CNS progression is common in PVRL. From the limited available evidence, there is no significant difference in CNS progression between bilateral and unilateral PVRL. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Eye Cancer Research and Clinical Management)

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