[Uveal malignant melanoma in Israel (1970-1989)]

The treatment of uveal melanoma is controversial. In retrospective survival studies no therapeutic method was found to be superior. A few risk factors were found to influence survival, without relation to the method of treatment. The main ones were size of tumor, anterior location, and age of patient. In the present study all cases of uveal melanoma treated between 1970-1989 were reviewed retrospectively and 135 of the 182 cases were included in the study. There was no relationship between method of treatment (irradiation vs enucleation) and survival, nor did any clinical risk factor influence survival. Thus, whenever possible, conservative treatment should be used in order to save the eye. Further investigation on a larger group of patients is needed.