Rare Form Cancer Diagnosed in 18 people at Albama & North Carolina in US: What is Ocular Melanoma?
The melanoma, a type of cancer that develops in melanin – the pigment that gives skin its colour, only occurs in about six out of one million people.
Doctors are puzzled after two groups of people in Huntersville, North Carolina and Auburn, Alabama were diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer. And the strange part is among the 18 identified, three are friends from the same university. The melanoma, a type of cancer that develops in melanin – the pigment that gives skin its colour, only occurs in about six out of one million people. But at least 18 people have been diagnosed with ocular melanoma.
The three friends who met at Auburn University, Juleigh Green, Allison Allred and Ashley McCrary are all being treated for the disease. Juleigh, 27, began seeing strange flashes of light and her friend Allison, 31, started experiencing similar symptoms. After their friend Ashley noticed black spots in her iris, she too removed the same diagnosis. According to CBS, one of the leading doctors on the case is Marlana Orloff, an oncologist at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, said, “Most people don’t know anyone with this disease.” Ms. Orloff said, “We said, ‘Okay, these girls were in this location, they were all definitely diagnosed with this very rare cancer, what’s going on?’”
The Alabama Department of Health told CBS News it would be premature to determine that a cancer cluster exists in the area. Juleigh and Allison have had to have one eye removed a result. Allison’s cancer has returned nine times to various parts of her body, including her brain. All three women are alive but still at risk. According to the Ocular Melanoma Foundation, this is not uncommon, and the spread of the tumour is fatal.
What is Ocular Melanoma?
Researchers aren’t exactly sure what causes melanoma of the eye, but they do know that ocular melanoma is a form of cancer that occurs when errors develop within the DNA of the cells that produce pigment. The errors cause cells to mutate and multiply rapidly, which then accumulate in or on the eye and form a melanoma tumour. Risk factors include fair skin, light coloured eyes or over-exposure to UV light. The median age of patients is 55, however, the women in Alabama were diagnosed between the ages 27 to 31.
Unfortunately, there is no known cause of this type of cancer, which makes it more challenging. The women have formed a support group on Facebook and found that at least 36 other people with ties to Auburn University have also been diagnosed with some sort of melanoma, but the school nor the state have approved funding to research a cure or any kind of conclusion.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 02, 2018 12:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).