Melanomas of the Eye and Other Noncutan eous Sites: Epidemiologic Aspects

Abstract

The Third National Cancer Survey, 1969-71, reported 432 patients with noncutaneous melanoma, 79% originating in the eye. As with skin melanoma, ocular tumors were more common in whites than blacks and predominated in females at younger ages and males after middle life. On the other hand, ocular melanoma did not show the strong North-South gradient seen with skin melanoma; this suggested no relation to sunlight exposure.

Epidemiology of melanoma of the eye in the Oxford Region, 1952-78

“…The findings about laterality of eye melanoma in the Oxford Region give no support to the suggestion made from United States data (Scotto et al, 1976) that the left-sided excess in males and right-sided excess in females in those data might be due to the usual seating of men and women in motor cars. A recent study in the United States (Davidorf & Knupp, 1979) showed a right-sided excess in both sexes, significant in males only.…”

“…The role of these factors in melanoma causation could usefully be examined in relation to the eye tumour where these might be less confounding than for the skin tumour by the factor(s) causing the secular increase in the latter. The cross-sectional age distribution of eye melanoma in Oxford is generally similar to that in the United States (Scotto et al, 1976), in aggregated data for England and Wales 1962-67 (OPCS, 1972) and1968-70 (OPCS, 1975), and in many other populations (Waterhouse et al, 1976;Hakulinen et al, 1978), with no peak of incidence evident in middle age. In several of the same populations such a peak exists in cross-sectional data for females with skin melanoma (OPCS, 1972;1975;Waterhouse et al, 1976;Magnus, 1977), especially skin melanoma of the lower limbs (Lee & Yongchaiyudha, 1971;Magnus, 1977;Holman et al, 1980;Houghton et al, 1980).…”

“…There was no substantial secular change in eye melanoma incidence in males or females in the Oxford Region 1952-78, nor probably in the United States 1947/8 to 1969/71 (Scotto et al, 1976). Approximate stability of rates has been found also for incidence'and mortality from eye cancers in persons aged 15 years and above in many countries' over recent years (Hakulinen et al, 1978;Strickland & Lee, 1981).…”

“…Routine statistics which are based on the International Classification of Diseases (World 'Health Organization, 1977) do not differentiate melanoma of the eye from other histologies of eye malignancy. Data on eye melanoma in parts of the United States have been reported by Scotto et al (1976). For many other countries eye melanoma data have not been published, but studies have been reported' using data on eye cancer in persons aged 15 years and over as a surrogate for eye melanoma data (Hakulinen et al, 1978;Strickland & Lee, 1981).…”

“…As in Finland 1963-72 (Hakulinen et al, 1978), Sweden 1959-65 (Hakulinen et al, 1978 and the United States Third National Cancer Survey 1969-71 (Scotto et al, 1976), 'the great majority of eye cancers in adults in the Oxford Region were melanoma data are unavailable gross variations in eye melanoma incidence should be detectable from these populations, therefore, and by implication probably for other white populations, when eye melanoma data are unavailable gross variations in eye melanoma incidence should' be detectable from incidence data on eye cancers in persons aged over 14 years. There was no substantial secular change in eye melanoma incidence in males or females in the Oxford Region 1952-78, nor probably in the United States 1947/8 to 1969/71 (Scotto et al, 1976).…”