Socioeconomic Factors in Uveal Melanoma Treatment and Survival in Veterans

Uveal melanoma (UM) is a rare but serious eye cancer. It has a high chance of metastatic spread, especially in advanced stages, which significantly worsens survival. In recent years, eye-sparing treatments, such as targeted radiation therapy, have become more common than enucleation (complete removal of the eye). However, these treatments are not always available to low-income patients or those who live in rural areas, where ophthalmologists or ocular melanoma experts may be limited.