Have survival rates improved for patients treated for Metastasis from Uveal Melanoma?

This study investigated if there has been an improvement in survival after treatment in patients with metastasis from uveal melanoma. The study found no significant improvement in survival rates in patients who were treated for metastasis from uveal melanoma.

Despite successful treatment of tumors in patients who are treated for uveal melanoma (cancer of the eye), most patients will eventually die of liver metastasis (tumor spreading to the liver).  

A previous study analysed survival after metastasis in patients with uveal melanoma who were treated with proton irradiation between 1975 and 1987. This study showed treatment increased survival from 2 months to 5.2 months.  

This study was done to understand if there have been meaningful changes in survival time in patients who are treated for metastasis from uveal melanoma.  

This study analysed data already collected from 661 patients who received a diagnosis of metastasis from uveal melanoma treated between January 1982 and December 2009 and followed up through December 2011. This data was compared with results from a previous study of uveal melanoma patients treated between 1975 and 1987.

In this study, the average survival time after treatment was 6.3 months. In the previous study done between 1975 and 1987, the average survival time was 5.2 months.

In this study, there was a significant difference in average survival time between treated and untreated patients. Untreated patients on average survived 1.7 months. This is similar to the previous study in which untreated patients survived on average 2 months.

The study concluded that survival in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma has not improved over time. Further research is required to develop new treatments for metastatic uveal melanoma in order to increase survival.

This study analysed data already collected. This study compared results to a study which was done many years ago and may not reflect other factors that have changed and may have impacted survival rates.