Long-Term Survivors with Metastatic Uveal Melanoma

BACKGROUND: To report the tumor, patient, and treatment characteristics of long-term metastatic uveal melanoma survivors. METHODS: A non-comparative, retrospective case series of patients from a single institution surviving >24 months with metastatic uveal melanoma (UM). RESULTS: Nine patients met the study criteria and their charts were reviewed. The mean age at diagnosis of UM was 44.1 years (SD +/- 14.4 years). Initial treatment modalities included enucleation (67%), brachytherapy (22%), and proton beam radiation (11%). The average time from primary tumor diagnosis to detection of metastasis was 125.9 months (SD +/- 95 months). The most common location for initial metastasis was the liver. All patients underwent treatment for metastatic disease including systemic therapy, surgical resection, and isolated hepatic perfusion. The majority of patients received treatment with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (sorafenib, sunitinib, and/or imatinib). The median survival with metastasis was 51 months (range 27-123 months). Patients had a long disease-free interval before presentation of metastatic disease. CONCLUSIONS: A small subset of patients with metastatic UM has prolonged survival. Identification of these patients may be helpful for future clinical trial design.