As we close on Ocular Melanoma Awareness Month, we celebrate the progress that has been made to cure the disease. A cutting-edge experimental drug, Tebentafusp, has now become the first drug shown to improve overall survival in patients with ocular (uveal) melanoma.
Tebentafusp is a drug that cuts nearly in half the risk of death among patients with a rare but aggressive cancer of the eye. Uveal melanoma is a disease that until now has had no medical treatment.
Patients randomly chosen to receive tebentafusp had almost half the risk of death as others treated with either immunotherapy or chemotherapy. Tebentafusp halved the relative risk to die and, therefore, had a great impact on prolonging survival of patients with metastasized uveal melanoma.
Never Giving Up: Supporting Ocular Melanoma Research and ETRF
Dr. Carol Shields and her staff with AmpliVox CEO Don Roth at the Eye Tumor Research Foundation where 100% of your Donations for Nancy are used for eye cancer research.
On September 4, 2018, Nancy Roth lost her six-year battle with ocular melanoma. This rare disease, which occurs in 2,000 adults each year, currently has no cure in its metastatic form.
In memory of his wife Nancy, Don has been raising funds to help support research and treatment of ocular melanoma.
In memory of his wife Nancy, Don has been raising funds to help support research and treatment of ocular melanoma.
Where Do Your Donations Go?
Donations will go to the Eye Tumor Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization that not only provided tremendous counsel and care to Nancy during her battle, but is also devoted to learn more about eye cancers and tumors in an effort to win the struggle for life and sight.
- Supporting national research into the immunology of how cancerous ocular cells metastasize (spread to other parts of the body)
- Supporting local research on the prevention and treatment ocular oncology under the direction of Dr. Bruce Brockstein at Northshore Health System in the Chicago area.
Through these efforts, it is hoped to relieve the suffering – and prevent premature deaths -- of current and future eye cancer patients. Your generous donations are greatly appreciated.
