Treatment of metastatic uveal melanoma: review and recommendations.

This article reviews the published clinical responses of metastatic uveal melanoma and metastatic cutaneous melanoma with visceral involvement to current therapeutic protocols. Despite isolated patient responses to systemic treatment, no effective treatment currently exists for metastatic uveal melanoma. However, several new approaches involving interferons and interleukin and combination chemotherapy have shown some activity against metastatic cutaneous melanoma. The effectiveness against metastatic uveal melanomas has not been determined. A new approach to intrahepatic administration of chemotherapy also warrants further evaluation because of the high incidence of hepatic involvement with metastatic uveal melanoma. When an effective systemic treatment is found, early administration as an adjuvant to primary treatment may provide the best strategy for control of systemic spread.