Ocular melanoma: a population-based study.

: During the 10-year period ending December 1976 ocular malignant melanoma developed in 99 patients in Alberta. To investigate the natural history of this disease we reviewed certain clinical and epidemiologic features of these cases. Of all the melanomas during that time 16% occurred in the eye, and of all the ocular malignant diseases 70% were malignant melanomas. The more malignant mixed cell tumours were much more frequent in the women than in the men, while the converse was true of the less malignant spindle cell melanomas. Within each cell type the women survived longer than the men. The actuarial 5-year survival rate of the entire group was 62%. Metastases occurred in 29 of the 99 patients; the liver was the only or initial site in 22 (76%). Our study shows that there has been no improvement in the survival rate of patients with ocular melanoma over the past 10 years. Our therapeutic methods must be improved.