title: Symptoms and time to presentation and treatment in ocular melanoma: the Western Canada Melanoma Study.
abstract: Reports on all ocular melanomas newly diagnosed between Apr. 1, 1979, and Mar. 31, 1981, were obtained from the cancer registries of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Of the 90 cases, 87 were in patients aged 20 to 79 years, 64 of whom were interviewed about their initial symptoms. Three symptoms--loss of part of the visual field (in 33% of patients), photopsia (in 20%) and blurred vision (in 20%)--emerged as the main indicators of disease. In 17% of cases the tumour was discovered as an incidental finding on ocular examination. The length of delay before consulting a physician was generally short in symptomatic patients, with 85% reporting that they saw a physician within 3 months of onset of the first symptom. Of the 30 patients who received definitive treatment 4 months or more after initial presentation, 13 were seen by general practitioners who delayed before referring the patient to an ophthalmologist. Continuing medical education is needed to ensure earlier referral to ophthalmologists by general practitioners of patients with ocular melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Biometry and Occupational Oncology, Cancer Control Agency of British Columbia, Vancouver.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Elwood
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rootman
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Threlfall
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014794:Visual Fields