Treating Eye Tumors (Melanoma) with Proton Therapy

Melanoma is the most common type of eye tumor, but eye cancer itself is very rare and requires specialized, advanced tumor treatment. Proton therapy has been used to treat melanoma without removing the eye and with less damage to the cornea, lens, retina, fovea or optic nerve since the 1970s.

Northwestern Medicine Proton Center is one of the few proton therapy centers throughout the Midwest and the first one in Illinois. Our team is dedicated to explaining all of your treatment options for eye cancer and facilitating a conversation with you and your physician or oncologist to determine the best course of treatment for you.

To learn if you can benefit from proton therapy, call 1.877.887.5807 or fill out our online form.

As part of the innovative Northwestern Medicine cancer care network, the team at the Proton Center can help you understand your treatment options and the advantages of proton therapy for your diagnosis.

Proton therapy is a viable option for patients who are seeking highly targeted eye tumor treatment in the Chicago area and cannot receive standard radiation or x-rays. Studies show that patients treated with protons have long-term survival rates equal to that of patients who have had an eye removed.² Furthermore, most patients in these studies have retained useful vision in the treated eye.²

Protons can be controlled with greater precision than X-rays and conform to the shape of the tumor, meaning that more energy goes into destroying the cancer and less radiation is delivered to surrounding tissue.¹

Proton therapy is considered safe, non-invasive and painless. Depending on the patient's diagnosis, treatments for eye cancer are usually given every day for a total of five treatments.

Patients continue with normal activities before and after treatment. Some patients choose to work; others go on a “radiation vacation” and spend their days doing recreational activities before or after treatment.