RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Prognosis evaluation of patients with choroidal and ciliary melanoma has experienced recent progress through tumour sampling and cytogenetic analysis of metastatic risk. By allocating tumor extension, height and linear basal diameter to defined TNM stages, an estimation of prognosis can also be made without invasive tissue sampling. METHODS: Therapeutic strategies of organ preserving irradiation using different sources have clearly come to the forefront. RESULTS: Due to microscopic haematogenous spreading of tumour cells prior to treatment, the metastatic risk following radiation of any form is not influenced in comparison to primary enucleation. CONCLUSION: However, metastatic disease still remains a fatal condition which currently may only be influenced by early detection and treatment of uveal melanomas.