[Age distribution of uveal melanoma and its relationship to survival].

PURPOSE

To study the age distribution and survival in patients with uveal melanoma.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed on 303 patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma. We analysed the clinical characteristics: age, gender, tumor size and origin, follow-up time, systemic state, survival time and cause of death.

RESULTS

The median age of the patients was 60.09 years. The 2-, 5-, and 10-year survival of patients less than 50 years of age at diagnosis was 91.41%, 81.83% and 61.45% respectively. The 2-, 5- and 10-year survival of patients equal to or older than 50 years was 90.86%, 73.18% and 58.28% respectively. No significant difference was found between these two age groups. When we considered a possible relationship between the sex factor and survival, in patients equal to or older than 50 years of age, we found a higher survival in men than in women (log-rank test; p=0.038).

CONCLUSIONS

Uveal melanoma in Spain has a similar age distribution to that of other countries, and it is not an infrequent diagnosis in patients under 40 years of age. Survival rates are also similar to that of other series. We have not found any significant difference between the age of our patients and the survival, although if we analysed the subgroups, we found that the men equal to or over 50 years of age had a better survival than the women of the same age.