[Analysis of the long-term prognosis for conjunctival malignant melanomas in Japan].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the long-term prognosis for primary conjunctival malignant melanomas in Japan.


METHODS
We conducted a survey of 61 cases which had been reported in a 38-year period (1959 to 1996). We gathered information regarding the survival of patients, the post-operative follow-up period, the causes of death, and recurrences. Answers were obtained segarding 51 cases (84%). Detailed progress was identified in 23 of these cases. The survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.


RESULTS
The survival rates were 95.1% after 1 year, 72.9% after 3 years, and 53.4% after 5 years. These values are relatively low compared with those reported in Europe and the United States.
Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan.
A
A
Matsumoto
T
T
Inatomi
S
S
Kinoshita
A
A
Aoki
H
H
Asaeda
N
N
Ishida
T
T
Ito
H
H
Ueno
T
T
Kanamaru
A
A
Kitagawa
T
T
Kudo
T
T
Kohra
T
T
Kobayashi
K
K
Kobori
I
I
Komatsu
T
T
Komine
K
K
Satoh
H
H
Sakaue
Y
Y
Shiihara
N
N
Shimada
T
T
Shinmaru
T
T
Takayama
N
N
Takimoto
N
N
Tanaka
K
K
Watanabe
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate