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Question about stats of nevus

Sent to Health Experts October 03 12:46 PM

I am so scared I have a nuvus on my eye. I have read so many conflicting things on the internet. What really are the chances that it will convert to cancer

 

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Female , Age: 33

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October 3 1:13 PM (10 minutes and 2 seconds later)
         
Reply to Jonathan Fay, M.D.'s Post: Yes, they said Nevus, I had it seen three years ago and then he said I could come back in two years because I had three good visits (no change) Now my appt is tomorrow and I am looking on the internet and I have myself dying of cancer. I am just curious how often they turn to cancer? Or should I say how common they are?
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October 3 1:28 PM (14 minutes and 52 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark
O.K. Thanks for the additional information.

Most nevi in the eyes are benign, so you should feel very reassured. They are generally monitored, however, to see if they are growing as they can affect eyesight (depending on where the nevus is located - inside the eye, as a choroidal nevus, or outside on the iris or conjunctiva). Most often, these are benign nevi that don't have any long term effects.

In a few cases (ocular melanoma occurs at about 1500 cases/year, and is not common in your age group [most common in patients 55-65 years old]) ocular nevi do end up as becoming cancerous, but again, it is very rare. So be reassured.

It is good to followup regularly, however, to keep tabs on it. Your ophthalmologist, depending on what the nevus looks like, may want to see you more often than once every couple of years, to chart any potential growth in the nevus. If it is stable, then you might not need to be seen again for a while.

Any time anyone is dianosed with something that could potentially become cancer it can be hard to deal with - but we all, by and large, deal with this at some point in our lives. Just try and feel reassured, because most of these are benign and stay that way.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any further questions - I'm more than happy to try and help.

Take care - Dr. Fay


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October 3 1:33 PM (5 minutes and 43 seconds later)
         
Reply to Jonathan Fay, M.D.'s Post: This is the last part. you said 1500 a year. That is good that I have a number but how many people approximately have a nevus?? Is it 1 million or 10 million.

Thanks a bunch
Becky Vivian
Answer
October 3 1:57 PM (24 minutes later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
You're very welcome, Becky. Figures I found - that rate of transformation of a choroidal nevus (inside the eye) are 1 in 5000 over a 10 year period. That means that, with 5000 people with a choroidal nevus, over 10 years only 1 went on to become cancerous. And a little more than 10% of the population have choroidal nevi, so in the US, that works out to approximately 30+ million!

Nevi of the iris are even more benign, and essentially, never become malignant.

I hope this clears it up, and I hope that it is, also, reassuring.

Take care - Dr. Fay


If I have helped, then please click the ACCEPT button and leave positive feedback - Thank you, and take care
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