Conjunctival Melanoma: Outcomes Based on Age at Presentation in 629 Patients at a Single Ocular Oncology Center

To investigate the clinical features and outcomes for conjunctival melanoma based on patient age.

A retrospective review of patients with conjunctival melanoma managed at a single tertiary referral center from April 18, 1974, to September 9, 2019. Clinical features and outcomes were compared by patient age category at presentation (young ≤45 years, middle-aged 46-69 years, and older ≥70 years), with Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard analysis [hazard ratio (95% confidence interval)].

There were 629 patients categorized as young in 130 (21%), middle-aged in 278 (44%), and older in 221 (35%). A comparison by age category (young vs. middle-aged vs. older) revealed that older patients had melanoma with greater number of affected quadrants (1.7 vs. 1.8 vs. 2.0, P = 0.001) and clock hours (3.9 vs. 4.2 vs. 5.2, P = 0.001). All patients were treated with surgical excision, with no difference in requirement for additional medical or radiation therapy. By 10-year Kaplan-Meier outcomes, older patients had more frequent visual acuity loss ≥3 lines (11% vs. 28% vs. 64%, P < 0.001) and local tumor recurrence (38% vs. 46% vs. 70%, P < 0.001). Hazard ratio for the oldest age group (age ≥70) revealed a 7.76-fold (3.33-18.09) increased risk for visual acuity loss (P < 0.001), and a 2.08-fold (1.32-3.28) increased risk of local tumor recurrence (P = 0.002). There was no difference by age in risk for enucleation, exenteration, locoregional lymph node involvement, distant systemic metastasis, or death.

Older patients with conjunctival melanoma present with more extensive disease and have increased risk for visual acuity loss and local tumor recurrence.