Redefining the treatment of metastatic uveal melanoma with immunotherapy – A case report

Abstract

Cancer immunotherapy originated in the early 1900s with the understanding of cancer immune surveillance and host immune defense mechanisms against cancer cells. Immunotherapy has provided a ray of hope in patients with uveal melanoma, a subtype of melanoma that has a poor prognosis once it has metastasized. Metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM) lacks a standard protocol for the treatment. Systemic chemotherapy has not shown any potential benefit. Moreover, its high toxicity has limited its use. Immunotherapy has changed the approach to treating these patients and has significantly prolonged the overall survival as well as the quality of life. We, hereby, present an interesting case of a patient presenting with MUM after an unusually long time from the primary treatment and showing an exceptional response to immunotherapy.