How we treat patients with metastatic uveal melanoma.

Uveal melanoma is the most prevalent and aggressive intraocular malignancy affecting adults. Compared with cutaneous melanoma, uveal melanoma has distinct pathogenesis and molecular characteristics. Not surprisingly, it derives limited benefits from checkpoint inhibitors. Until recently, no systemic therapy had impacted survival outcomes for this patient population. Tebentafusp, a T-cell receptor-based molecule, is the first US Food and Drug Administration/European Medicines Agency-approved systemic therapy to improve the survival outcomes for uveal melanoma patients expressing HLA-A∗02:01. Only 45%-50% of this patient population will express the HLA-A∗02:01, however, and therefore are eligible to receive this novel treatment. Moreover, global access to tebentafusp is limited, and there are no guidelines to aid clinicians in decision-making regarding treatment. In this review, we outline our experience as Canada's largest tertiary referral centre in managing metastatic uveal melanoma patients and provide a comprehensive overview of the currently available treatment options, challenging scenarios, and ongoing clinical trials for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma.