Ocular Oncology Publications

Scientific Articles

The most satisfactory outcome of any research project is the publication of any findings in a scientific journal. Articles are written in a standard style, preceded with a short summary (i.e., 'abstract') followed by the Introduction, Patients and Methods, Results, Discussion and References.

A selection of papers from the British Ophthamology Journal on the outcomes after treatment of ocular melanoma
A selection of papers from the British Ophthamology Journal on the outcomes after treatment of ocular melanoma

When an article is submitted for publication, it is subjected to peer review by two or three acknowledged experts in the field. They prepare an anonymous critique of the article, recommending to the editor whether the article should be accepted, rejected, or re-considered after corrections have been made.

Whenever a scientific article appears, the title, the authors' names and addresses, and the abstract are published in an electronic index, which can be reviewed on the internet and in any hospital or university library. In this way, other workers around the world will know about the article and can read the publication.

Apart from original scientific reports, journals also publish 'Case Reports' and 'Letters to the Editor', which describe one or two patients with a rare condition. In addition, journals publish reviews and editorials, which give a broad overview of a particular subject.

Textbooks

Chapter on local resection in Boyd's textbook on ophthalmic surgery
Ocular Tumours - Diagnosis and Treatment by Bertil Damato

Despite our electronic age, textbooks are still an important source of information. They are mostly written by numerous authors, each author writing one or two chapters. They are invited to contribute these chapters to the textbook by an editor, who is in charge of the selecting contributors and checking the work submitted.

Single author texts are still published, in which an authority in a special field covers the entire subject alone or with one or two co-authors.

Bertil Damato has written a textbook, which was published in June 2000, aimed at general ophthalmologists, optometrists and other practitioners involved in the care of patients with ocular tumours. You may buy Ocular Tumours - Diagnosis and Treatment by Bertil Damato online.

Electronic Media

Increasingly, scientific texts are being published on CD roms and on the Internet so that they are more widely available and more easily 'searchable' using key words.

Video Communications

Most video communications tend to show extracts of surgical operations and are designed to demonstrate a new technique or a method of avoiding or dealing with complications. These videos are usually shown at conferences, either as part of an oral lecture, or in a special hall, where videos from numerous contributors are shown continuously. With the development of digital video, it is technically possible for animated images to be included in teaching websites on the Internet.

We have recently started obtaining consent for video recordings of surgical procedures, whether or not the patient is identifiable. If asked for such consent, you are under no obligation to give your permission for the recording to be made and your decision will not influence your care in any way. After the operation, the recording is stored for a minimum of six months and is given the same level of protection as medical records against improper disclosure. At any time, patients can withdraw their consent to the use of the recording. Current GMC guidelines suggest that patients should be given the chance, if they wish, to see the recording in the form in which it will be shown. However, as with any surgical video, the images may be upsetting for a non-medical person.

Posters

Almost all conferences now include poster displays, with each poster summarizing a study or case presentation, with graphs and photographs as necessary. Poster sessions are usually organized so that the authors will stand next to their exhibits at selected times, so that they are available to discuss their work with other delegates. Some conferences, such as the prestigious Association for Research and Vision in Ophthalmology (ARVO), held in Fort Lauderdale each spring, rely almost entirely on posters. This is a highly effective form of communication because it allows a one-to-one discussion with the author of the work.

In all scientific communications, special precautions are taken to ensure that the patient's confidentiality is respected at all times. Patients' names and hospital numbers are obscured and if it necessary to show a photograph of a face, then consent is obtained from the patient.

Invited oral presentations at scientific meetings in 2005

  1. RNIB, London, UK (April 2005): Diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases: melanoma
  2. 7th International Vitreoretinal Meeting, Parma (April 2005): Surgical management of uveal melanoma
  3. ARVO, Fort Lauderdale (May 2005): Geoconda.com: an internet environment for multicentre research in ocular oncology.
  4. Barraquer Institute Conference, Barcelona (May 2005)
  5. International Congress of Ocular Oncology, Vancouver (Sept 2005) Prospects for Change in Uveal Melanoma Management (Keynote lecture) and Cytogenetic Studies on Uveal Melanoma.
  6. Spanish Society of Ophthalmology Congress, Zaragoza (Sept 2005)
  7. European Society of Ophthalmology, Berlin, Germany (Sept 2005): How do I use molecular genetic information as an ophthalmologist? And Diagnosis of intraocular tumours.
  8. EVER Vilamoura, Portugal (Oct 2005): Choroidal tumour biopsy with 25-gauge vitreous cutter. (European Association for Vision and Eye Research
  9. ECCO, Paris, France (Oct 2005): Current management of uveal melaoma (European Cancer Conference
  10. Advanced Retinal Therapy Conference, Vienna, Austria (Nov 2005). Surgical resection of uveal melanoma.

Submitted presentations at scientific meetings in 2005

  1. Macula Society Conference, Key Biscayne, US (Feb 2005): Clinical cytogenetics of uveal melanoma
  2. International Congress of Ocular Oncology (Sept 2005): 'Geoconda.com: an internet environment for multicentre ocular oncology research', and 'A Ciliary Body Tumour in a Teenager'

Invited oral presentations at departmental meetings

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Redhill (Apr 2005): Management of uveal melanoma.
  2. Nice Ophthalmic Group Meeting (Jun 2005): Management of uveal melanoma
  3. Grand Round, Royal Liverpool University Hospital (Sept 2005): Radiotherapy of uveal melanoma
  4. Wirral Optometry Group Meeting, Bromborough (Nov 2005): Management of uveal melanoma
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