HISTOLOGY, SURVIVORSHIP AND RELATED FACTORS IN THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF EYE CANCERS

Abstract

This study characterizes 271 cases of eye cancers in males by laterality, histology, race, age, survivorship and residence. These histologically confirmed cases constitute a 7-year 100 % patient sample from all vet-erans ' hospitals in the United States. They are compared with male con-trols to whom they are matched on age and hospital, and with all veterans living in 1960. Relative risks and incidence rates of eye cancers are determined. The following results are reported. 1) Malignant mela-nomas are 65 % more common in the left than in the right eye, while squamous cell and intra-epithelial carcinomas are comparably frequent in both eyes. 2) The worst survival experience is with intra-orbital mela-nomas in contrast to that with conjunctival cancers of any type. 3) Cumu-lative 5-year survival rates for all cases with localized cancers are similar to those of the male population counterparts of similar age and race. 4) The relative risk of malignant melanomas is extremely low for Negroes. 5) Incidence rates of eye cancers are significantly high above age 59 and i