What is uveal melanoma?

With 500 new cases diagnosed each year in France, uveal melanoma is a rare cancer affecting the uvea, the pigmented membrane inside the eye that includes the choroid (tissue covering the retina), iris and ciliary body. It is the most common malignant tumor of the eye in adults. 
Uveal melanoma mainly affects Western populations of European origin, and tends to affect light-skinned, light-eyed people in their sixties. To date, no exogenous risk factors have been identified for uveal melanoma. However, two hereditary predispositions are known, in this case an alteration in the BAP1 or MBD4 gene. But there is very little risk of transmission to offspring, since these alterations together account for 2% of uveal melanoma cases.