Diabetic Retinopathy and Ocular Melanoma: How Far We Are?

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy causes vascular damage to retinal neurons, presenting characteristics of chronic inflammation. The development of new therapies capable of combating vision loss involves knowledge of inflammatory retinal changes. Studies in animal models and patients with diabetes have shown a high expression of the inflammatory molecules that are involved in the progression of diabetic retinopathy. Uveal melanoma is an eye tumour that remains highly deadly, because despite the correct treatment, it still causes metastasis in about 50% of patients. This type of tumour has the ability to produce and store melanin, which may result in resistance to therapy. Over time there has been development of new therapies for this disease, such as radiotherapy and surgical resection. In this review, we discuss diabetic retinopathy and ocular melanoma, their relationship with angiogenesis and the current anti-angiogenic therapies for their treatment.

Radiation and Diabetic Retinopathy: A Dark Synergy

“…As changes in clinical practice in relation to RR have been addressed by several recent open access reviews [9][10][11][12][13], this work will be devoted to basic pathogenetic mechanisms in DR and RR and how pre-existing diabetes potentiates RR. At the core of diabetes and its complications lies insulin and glucose: one is the pivotal anabolic regulator in mammalian metabolism, and the other is the most important energy substrate.…”