Unraveling mysteries

Ocular oncology tends to be an under-funded and under-studied area in cancer research, but scientists at the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford are making substantial strides through an ocular cancer research program directed by Prithvi Mruthyunjaya, MD, MHS, professor of ophthalmology and radiation oncology (by courtesy) and director of ocular oncology at the Byers Eye Institute.

The program is funded via philanthropy by a donor who asked to remain anonymous, but who generously invested in Mruthyunjaya’s work following their own experience with ocular melanoma.

“Philanthropy is a deeply valuable component in accelerating some of the most cutting-edge research in medicine, and all of our faculty are committed to using those generous gifts expeditiously to find ways to offer better treatments for patients and one day eradicate blindness,” said Jeffrey Goldberg, MD, PhD, Blumenkranz Smead professor and chair of ophthalmology at the Byers Eye Institute.

Ocular melanoma makes up approximately 5% of melanomas in the U.S. and nearly 3,500 new cases will be diagnosed in the United States annually, according to data from the American Cancer Society. The cancer can be detected at its earliest stages, however, with a simple routine dilated eye exam — a screening procedure performed during an annual eye exam.

“This donor made bold gifts to us, and that has been the catalyst for our work in ocular cancer proteomics,” Mruthyunjaya said. “Through this work, we’ve been able to use minuscule droplets of fluid from the eye to unravel mysteries that have never before been uncovered.” 

Mruthyunjaya collaborates on the ocular cancer proteomics work with Vinit Mahajan, MD, PhD, professor of ophthalmology at the Byers Eye Institute. The two have for years pushed forward research using “liquid biopsies,” fluid in the eye, to identify new predictors of disease severity and new targets for patient therapies.

Those liquid biopsies may also be able to distinguish cancers that are likely to metastasize elsewhere, helping clinicians identify which patients need additional screenings in the future.

“We analyzed samples in our biorepository in a far more sophisticated way than we could have ever dreamt of, because the generous philanthropy provided us the ability and facility to do so,” Mruthyunjaya said. “It really accelerated research by years because of the freedom that it gave us to move our ideas forward.”

In the future, Mruthyunjaya says those discoveries could make diagnosis, cure, and treatment planning more precise and accessible, including in low-resource countries. For instance, he and his team are working on finding ways to glean new information from a simple photograph of the eye, which would be analyzed by artificial intelligence trained to identify specific markers that are being discovered today.

“We think we can apply some of our methods, but also customize the approaches for all types of cancers: for adults, for children, and for cancers that are specific to certain parts of the world,” Mruthyunjaya said. “Our ability to leverage our networks and the confidence the Stanford name instills allows us to go after the biggest ventures.”

 
Beyond the lab

Mruthyunjaya’s passion for improving prevention, detection, and treatment options for ocular melanoma goes beyond the clinic and laboratory.

He’s the force behind an annual 5K hosted at the Byers Eye Institute devoted to raising awareness about ocular melanoma. The Lookin’ for a Cure 5K is organized in part by A Cure in Sight, an organization founded to provide patient support services for Ocular Melanoma eye cancer patients.

On race day, generally a Saturday in mid-July, Mruthyunjaya, and his faculty and staff colleagues at the Byers Eye Institute walk and run through Palo Alto with hundreds of race-goers, including ocular melanoma survivors, their families and friends.

Before the race is over, Mruthyunjaya will have made his way through the crowd, answering questions and offering words of support. He usually ends the day with a speech, often honoring the strength of those who have battled ocular melanoma, and always ending with his reminder to schedule an eye exam.   

“Ocular melanoma can be a devastating diagnosis for patients, but the work and research being done at Stanford University offers hope for better treatments and even a cure in the future,” he said.