title: Independent prognostic factors for distant metastases and survival in patients with primary uveal melanoma.
abstract: Adjuvant treatment strategies in uveal melanoma require determination of prognostic factors. Patients, who received primary therapy in 1994 and 1995 at our institution, were analysed. Of 271 patients 85% and 71% were available for follow up of 4 and 5 years. Forty three patients (15.9%) developed metastases. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a 5-year progression free survival (PFS) of 79% for the whole patient cohort. Extraocular tumor growth (EOG), ciliary body involvement or a largest tumor diameter (LTD) >14 mm were associated with a significantly lower 5-year PFS of 28%, 61.4% or 67.6%. In multivariate analysis time to progression was significantly associated with ciliary body involvement and LTD, and survival was associated with ciliary body involvement. Ciliary body involvement profoundly increased the risk for metastases (hazard ratio 6.9, P<0.001) within the first 3 years. This study determined patients with ciliary body involvement to be candidates for future adjuvant therapeutic interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III (Hematology, Oncology and Transfusionmedicine), Charité, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. alexander.schmittel@charite.de
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmittel
authors.forename: Nikolaos E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Bechrakis
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martus
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mutlu
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scheibenbogen
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bornfeld
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Foerster
authors.forename: Eckhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thiel
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Keilholz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy