Types of Eye Cancer


Eye cancer is an umbrella term for many types of tumours that develop on, around, or in the eye. Some of these types, such as melanoma, may be familiar. This type of cancer can be divided into two categories: intraocular and extraocular. Additionally, eye cancer can be considered as primary or secondary cancer depending on whether the disease starts in the eye (primary) or spreads there from another location in the body (secondary).

Intraocular eye cancer occurs in or on the eye and its parts. The most commonly affected parts of the eye, include the eyeball itself (sometimes referred to as the globe), the iris (the coloured portion of your eye), the choroid or uvea (a layer within the eye that holds the blood vessels which provide necessary blood to the eye), or the conjunctiva (a membrane in the eye that keeps the eyeball moist).

Below are some types of intraocular eye cancer:

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Typically, this form of eye cancer is secondary because it spreads from the lymph nodes in your body. On occasion, this form will start in the eye itself. This type of eye cancer is most common if you have an immune system compromised due to disease, organ transplants, or age.

Retinoblastoma

This is one of two types of eye cancer that develop in children, usually children who are under the age of five. The condition is genetic and is passed down through families. Thankfully, retinoblastoma has a high cure rate. With appropriate treatment, 90% of cases can be sent into remission.

Melanoma

While melanoma may be most well-known as a form of skin cancer, it is also the most common type of eye cancer diagnosed. More than 90% of all eye cancers are melanoma. This type of eye cancer is usually primary.

While eye cancer itself is not common, extraocular eye cancer is the rarer of the two forms. In these types, the tumours can grow in other parts of the optical system, such as the eye muscles or the optic nerve. These are most commonly primary types of cancer. Here is a brief explanation of these types of cancer:

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Like melanoma, this is a type of skin cancer. Unlike melanoma, these tumours do not develop on the eye but near the eye, such as on the lower eyelid. Because basal cancer cells rarely spread, this is normally going to be a primary form of cancer.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

This is another type of skin cancer which can also develop near the eye, usually on the eyelid. Very rarely, this type of cancer begins as extraocular but can spread to the intraocular by affecting the eyeball’s surface or the conjunctiva of the eye.

Optic Nerve Cancer

One of the rarest forms of cancer are tumours that develop on the optic nerves. These nerves form a connection between the eye and brain. Because these nerves are important for vision, a tumour can cause vision disruptions.

Rhabdomyosarcoma

This is the second form of eye cancer affecting young children. Normally, the muscles of the eye are where the cancer originates.

Most forms of extraocular eye cancer are easily treated. However, the best results are gained when symptoms are recognised and treated as early as possible.

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