Uveal Melanoma Guidelines Project

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) announced in January 2015 that it had accredited the processes used by the Uveal Melanoma Guideline Development Group to produce the Uveal Melanoma National Guidelines.

Professor Martin Underwood, Chair of the NICE Accreditation Advisory Committee said: ‘I am delighted to congratulate the Uveal Melanoma Guideline Development Group for this accreditation. I commend the group on their high level of patient involvement during guideline development. It is very pleasing to see a small specialist guideline producer embrace the NICE Accreditation Programme; a programme that can help them ensure that the information they produce is as good as it can possibly be.’

Melanoma Focus funded the project. The guidelines were developed over three years by the group of experts, aided by patient representatives. The result is a comprehensive set of recommendations, based on the best available scientific evidence, that is expected to enhance patient care and improve counselling and informed decision-making, while helping clinicians gain a better understanding of outcomes.

The guidelines have been published in The European Journal of Cancer (EJC) (Eur J Cancer 2015 Nov;51(16):2404-12) with open access. Follow this link for the PubMed abstract.

 

*** Update 30.3.16: this article has been downloaded or viewed 1,156 times since publication. ***

 

Dr Paul Nathan, who led the guideline development group, said: ‘This was an intricate and lengthy process which has resulted in the first set of clinical guidelines for this disease in the UK. We invited comments from professionals and the public in mid-2014 by means of a consultation process and are now delighted to have received the accolade of formal accreditation following an exhaustive evaluation by NICE.

‘I am grateful to all those who contributed; in particular, the Uveal Melanoma Guideline Development Group, consisting of eminent professionals involved in delivering care to uveal melanoma patients, who gave their time unstintingly and free of charge.

‘We now have an officially-approved standard of care which will guide clinicians and, above all, help to improve the treatment of patients suffering from this disease.’

Click here for

• Press Release: Melanoma Focus—-

• News Article by NICE: ‘NICE grants seal of approval to guidelines on rare form of cancer’

• Uveal Melanoma National Guidelines Report Summary

• Lay Summary of information for patients, carers and public

• Resources Page: Full Report & supporting documents

Background

There is a need for specialist guidelines on uveal (ocular) melanoma as this form of the disease is a very rare condition which is managed differently from other melanomas. Comprehensive guidance on this subject has been developed for the first time by a special Guideline Development Group (GDG) and the draft guidelines were published in June 2014 for public consultation.

The guidance covers:

• Primary treatment
• Estimating prognosis
• Surveillance after primary treatment
• Management of metastatic liver and systemic disease

The GDG and Melanoma Focus would like to thank all those who contributed their comments, which contributed to the final guideline. The GDG comprised a panel of experts made up of clinicians and patients. This group met over the past three years under the leadership of Dr Paul Nathan to review the evidence and develop recommendations. The project is wholly funded by Melanoma Focus.

Members of the Uveal Melanoma Guideline Development Group:

• Dr Paul Nathan, Consultant Medical Oncologist
• Miss Victoria Cohen, Consultant Ocular Oncologist
• Professor Sarah Coupland, Honorary Consultant in Pathology
• Ms Kathryn Curtis, OcuMel UK
• Professor Bertil Damato, Honorary Professor of Ophthalmology
• Dr Jonathan Evans, Consultant Interventional Radiologist
• Mr Stephen Fenwick, Consultant Hepatobiliary Surgeon
• Dr Lesley Kirkpatrick, Patient Representative
• Dr Ji-Peng Olivia Li  Ophthalmic Specialist Trainee
• Dr Ernie Marshall, Macmillan Consultant in Medical Oncology
• Mr Kieran McGuirk, Patient Representative
• Professor Christian Ottensmeier, Consultant in Medical Oncology
• Mr Neil Pearce, Consultant Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgeon
• Mr Sachin Salvi, Consultant Ophthalmologist
• Dr Brian Stedman, Consultant Interventional Radiologist
• Dr Peter Szlosarek, Consultant in Medical Oncology
• Ms Nancy Turnbull, Project Manager

 

 

 

 

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