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Updated: Sep 16, 2026
Implantation and Evaluation of Melanoma in the Murine Choroid via Optical Coherence Tomography
Published on: December 2, 2022
A Possible Link Between Cutaneous Melanoma and Uveal Melanoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study
Maya Eiger-Moscovich1,2, Natan Lishinsky-Fischer2, Shahar Frenkel1,2
1Division of Ophthalmology, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel.
Purpose:
Cutaneous melanoma (CM) and uveal melanoma (UM) derive from melanocytes. Nevertheless, they differ in genetic drivers and progression pathways. Previous research examining the relationship between CM and UM has been constrained by small cohorts and the rarity of UM. The aim of this study was to determine whether UM occurs more frequently in patients with a CM compared to matched patients with keratinocyte carcinoma (KC, squamous or basal cell carcinoma of the skin). Patients with KC were selected as the control to account for the excess risk due to sun exposure and access to healthcare.
Methods:
We performed a large, multicenter retrospective cohort study using TriNetX, a global health research network and real-world data platform. Cohort 1 had CM or melanoma in situ (MIS) and no history of KC. Cohort 2 had KC and no history of CM or MIS. The main outcome was the incidence of malignant neoplasms of the choroid or ciliary body over a 5-year follow-up, including diagnoses recorded before the index skin cancer. Patients who had metastatic disease were excluded to remove potential misidentifications of choroidal metastasis as UM. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match demographic and clinical characteristics. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and corresponding two-sided p-values were used to compare categorical outcomes. Ophthalmologic follow-up was evaluated to rule out surveillance bias.
Results:
The CM cohort included 57,352 patients. The KC cohort included 137,083 patients. After PSM each cohort included 52,860 patients. UM occurred in 53 CM patients (0.1%) compared with 13 KC patients (0.02%). This corresponds to an OR of 4.08 (95% CI [2.22, 7.49]; p < 0.001). UM diagnosis preceded CM in 70% of patients with both diagnoses. The association persisted in a sensitivity analysis after excluding patients with UM documented before CM (HR 14.32; 95% CI 7.96-25.76).
Conclusions:
Cutaneous melanoma is associated with a significantly higher risk of UM compared to KC. These findings suggest a link between cutaneous and uveal melanoma and may offer a possible role for ophthalmic surveillance in CM patients and dermatology surveillance in UM patients.
