BACKGROUND: The purpose of the current study was to assess the value of routine imaging and liver function tests in detecting metastases from @entity320 . METHODS: Forty-six consecutive @entity1 diagnosed with metastatic uveal melanoma between 1985 and 1996 who had participated in a screening program that included annual liver function tests (LFT), chest X-ray, and abdominal ultrasonography (US) were eligible for this retrospective cohort study. Main outcome measures were the sensitivity of screening tests, presence of symptoms, recurrence free interval, and metastatic burden. RESULTS: @entity3 were diagnosed in 74% of @entity1 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 59-86) at screening and in 26% (95% CI, 14-41) when the @entity1 consulted a physician because of symptoms that developed before the next scheduled visit. Of all the @entity1 , 59% (95% CI, 43-73) were asymptomatic, and 80% (95% CI, 66-91) had only hepatic metastases. The median recurrence free interval, greatest dimension of the largest metastasis, and metastatic burden of the two groups did not differ. US was diagnostic in 78% (95% CI, 64-89), at least 1 LFT test was abnormal in 70% of @entity1 (95% CI, 54-82), and a chest X-ray was abnormal in 2% of @entity1 (95% CI, 0-12). LFTs and US did not reveal hepatic metastases in 33% and 4% of @entity1 , respectively. The sensitivity of individual LFTs ranged from 0.27 to 0.67, and their specificity from 0.90 to 0.96, with @entity880 dehydrogenase being the most sensitive LFT used. CONCLUSIONS: The authors believe that annual screening with LFTs and abdominal US will identify 59% of @entity1 while they are still asymptomatic and that semiannual screening will detect >95% of such @entity1 . Chest X-ray has a very low yield and is recommended only at baseline to exclude @entity3 to the eye and if pulmonary symptoms develop.

Screening for metastatic XXXX revisited.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity880 :: ('MESH:D019344', 'Chemical') :: ['lactate'] @entity320 :: ('MESH:D008545', 'Disease') :: ['malignant melanoma of the uvea'] @entity3 :: ('MESH:D009362', 'Disease') :: ['Metastases', 'metastatic disease']
@entity320 :: (MESH:D008545,Disease) :: ['malignant melanoma of the uvea']
