[A survival analysis of patients with malignant uveal melanoma]

Survival rate estimate in patients with uveal malignant melanoma.

100 cases of uveal malignant melanoma were retrospectively reviewed clinically and histopathologically. Survival rate assessment of the patients was carried out by means of uni and multivariate analysis. Univariate evaluation was performed using the Kaplan-Meier's method and multivariate analysis by means of the proportional hazards model of Cox.

Univariate analysis disclosed some significant factors predicting survival rates such as: the period of time elapsed between occurring the first disease symptoms and the objective appearance of uveal melanoma, personal history connected with melanoma, the size, shape and extrascleral extension of the tumor, the Callender's cell type, the reticulin and melanin amount existing within the tumor, the necrosis extension into the tumor and development or not of the metastases. Multivariate analysis succeeded in disclosing a hierarchy of factors predicting survival rates headed by the histopathologically necrosis cell type.

There are not significant differences between sexes, different age groups and professions with regard to survival rates of the patients with uveal malignant melanoma. Multivariate analysis represents the main means of assessment of the part played by a combination of different prognostical factors in survival of uveal malignant melanoma patients.