Sex Differences in the Treatment of Uveal Melanoma in a Group of 1336 Patients

Abstract

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the sex differences in the treatment of uveal melanoma (UM) in a group of 1336 patients from a national referral center during the period 2018-2021. (2) Materials and Methods: The study was designed in a retrospective manner. A total of 1336 patients who were newly diagnosed with UM at the Department of Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Oncology, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Krakow, Poland, between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2021, were included in the study. The demographic and clinical data were compiled, including the sex of patients and the treatment methods. (3) Results: In total, 1336 patients with ocular melanoma were identified, including 726 women (54.34%) and 610 men (45.66%). A total of 49.70% of tumors were localized in the right eye and 50.30% in the left eye. UMs were localized statistically significantly more frequently posterior to the equator of the eye globe in men than in women (79.67% vs. 74.10%, Chi^2 Pearson test p = 0.035). Tumors tended to be larger in men, but this difference was not clinically significant. Men were enucleated more often than women (23.44% vs. 18.04%, Chi^2 Pearson test p = 0.015). (4) Conclusions: Statistically significant sex differences were found in the treatment of uveal melanoma in a national referral center in Poland, with men being enucleated more often than women.

Keywords: brachytherapy; enucleation; proton therapy; uveal melanoma.

Figure 1

Sex differences in prevalence rate per 100 people included in the present study (with uveal melanoma) in the national referral center in Poland between 2018 and 2021.

Figure 2

The treatment methods of uveal melanoma according to sex of patient. Chi^2 Pearson test p = 0.015.

Figure 3

The treatment methods of uveal melanoma according to intraocular anterior/posterior localization of the tumor at the time of cancer diagnosis. Chi^2 Pearson test p < 0.001.