Systemic Surveillance Guidelines for Uveal Melanoma: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Oncology
• Radiology

Background:

• Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular tumor.
• UM has a high risk of metastatic recurrence, primarily to the liver.
• Standardized Australian guidelines for surveillance imaging are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on systemic surveillance methods following local treatment for UM.
• To examine current practices and evidence quality for UM surveillance.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of Medline, Embase, and PubMed databases (2010-2024).
• Keywords: uveal melanoma, surveillance.
• Inclusion of guidelines, consensus statements, cohort studies, case-control studies, and reliability analyses.

Main Results:

• Six guidelines and 13 additional studies were identified.
• Risk stratification and surveillance strategies varied significantly.
• Higher-risk patients recommended increased surveillance frequency (≥6 months) and MRI over ultrasound.

Conclusions:

• Evidence quality for optimal surveillance in localized primary UM is variable and heterogeneous.
• A need exists to define local practices and outcomes to inform future guidelines.
• Further research is required to establish standardized surveillance protocols.