Statistics and outlook for eye cancer

On this page there is quite detailed information about the survival rates of different stages of melanoma of the eye. We have included it because many people ask us for this kind of information. But not everyone who is diagnosed with a cancer wants to read it. If you are not sure whether you want to know at the moment or not, then perhaps you might like to skip this page for now. You can always come back to it.

Please note that there are no national statistics available for different stages of cancer or treatments that people may have received. The statistics presented here are pulled together from a variety of different sources, including the opinions and experience of the experts who check each section of CancerHelp UK. We provide statistics because people ask us for them. But they are only intended as a general guide and cannot tell you exactly what will happen in your individual case.

There is a section giving information about the different types of statistics in the CancerHelp UK section about cancer statistics. Unless you are very familiar with medical statistics, you may find it helpful to read this before you read the information below.

Remember that 5 year survival is a term doctors use. It does not mean you will only live 5 years. It relates to the number of people in research who were still alive 5 years after diagnosis. Doctors follow what happens to people for at least 5 years after treatment in any research study.

As with many other types of cancer, the outcome for eye melanomas depends on how advanced your cancer is. In other words, it depends on the stage of your eye cancer . The outlook also depends on which parts of the eye are involved. Sometimes doctors can test for changes in the chromosomes of an eye melanoma that give an idea about the stage.

The statistics below are general and combine all types of eye melanoma. For information tailored to the particular type and stage of your cancer you will need to talk to your own specialist.

Of all the people diagnosed with an early stage small eye melanoma about 84 out of every 100 (84%) will live for at least 5 years after diagnosis.

For medium stage eye melanomas the figures are lower, but many people still do well with this stage of disease. About 68 out of every 100 people (68%) diagnosed will live for at least 5 years after their diagnosis.

For people diagnosed with large eye melanomas, the survival rates are sadly lower. About 47 out of every 100 people (47%) with this type and stage of cancer will live for more than 5 years after diagnosis.

No statistics can tell you exactly what will happen to you. Your cancer is unique. The same type of cancer can grow at different rates in different people for example. The statistics are not detailed enough to tell you about the different treatments people may have had. They also can't tell you how that treatment may have affected their outlook. There are many individual factors that will determine your treatment and prognosis. Your doctor or specialist nurse can give you the most accurate information about the outlook in your individual case.

Research evidence shows that taking part in clinical trials may improve outlook. No one is completely sure why this is. It is probably partly to do with your doctors and nurses monitoring you more closely if you are in a trial. For example, you may have more scans and blood tests. There is more information in the trials and research section of CancerHelp UK.