Liverpool Ocular Oncology Molecular Pathology Service
(LOOMPS)
The Liverpool Ocular Oncology Molecular Pathology Service provides a genetic testing service for uveal melanoma.
Uveal melanoma
Despite successful ocular treatment, around 50% of all uveal melanoma patients will develop metastatic disease. Mortality correlates with: (1) clinical stage (ie, tumour size and extent); (2) histological grade (ie, melanoma cytomorphology, mitotic rate and extravascular matrix patterns); (3) non-random genetic abnormalities, particularly loss of one copy of chromosome 3 (monosomy 3). The discovery of a strong association between the presence of monosomy 3 in primary uveal melanoma and metastatic spread was later followed by the detection of other chromosomal changes associated with prognosis such as loss of 1p and gains of 6p and 8q. In 1999, the Liverpool Ocular Oncology Centre became the first centre to perform genetic typing of uveal melanoma as a prognostic service. Using neural networks, we have developed an on-line prognostic tool, which analyses all major risk factors and generates a personalised survival curve for individual patient management.
Tests performed:
1. Multiplex Ligation Dependent Probe Amplification - P027-C1 Uveal Melanoma MLPA probemix (MRC Holland)
2. Microsatellite analysis
Uveal melanoma
Despite successful ocular treatment, around 50% of all uveal melanoma patients will develop metastatic disease. Mortality correlates with: (1) clinical stage (ie, tumour size and extent); (2) histological grade (ie, melanoma cytomorphology, mitotic rate and extravascular matrix patterns); (3) non-random genetic abnormalities, particularly loss of one copy of chromosome 3 (monosomy 3). The discovery of a strong association between the presence of monosomy 3 in primary uveal melanoma and metastatic spread was later followed by the detection of other chromosomal changes associated with prognosis such as loss of 1p and gains of 6p and 8q. In 1999, the Liverpool Ocular Oncology Centre became the first centre to perform genetic typing of uveal melanoma as a prognostic service. Using neural networks, we have developed an on-line prognostic tool, which analyses all major risk factors and generates a personalised survival curve for individual patient management.
Tests performed:
1. Multiplex Ligation Dependent Probe Amplification - P027-C1 Uveal Melanoma MLPA probemix (MRC Holland)
2. Microsatellite analysis
