Retinoblastoma and uveal melanoma in Jordan: incidence, demographics, and survival (2011-2020)

ABSTRACT

Purpose

We present an epidemiologic analysis of retinoblastoma (RB) and uveal melanoma (UM) in Jordan to aid national strategies for improved ocular cancer surveillance and control.

Methods

A retrospective cohort of all Jordanian patients with RB and UM diagnosed over 10 years (2011–2020). Outcome measures included incidence, demographics, and outcomes.

Results

Retinoblastoma (n = 124) was more common than UM (n = 82); there was no sex predilection for either group. The median age at diagnosis of RB was 15 months(Six and 28 months for bilateral and unilateral cases, respectively), and the mean age-adjusted incidence was 8.2 cases per-million-children per year for children aged five years or less(one per 15,620 newborn per year). Fifty-one(41%) had bilateral disease, and 18(15%) had familial disease. Ninety-six(55%) eyes were group D or E(78% were T3/T4), and the five-year survival rate was 96%.

For UM, the median age at diagnosis was 45 years with an incidence of 1.39 new cases per year per one million population. All(100%) had nonfamilial unilateral disease. Seventy-three(89%) had the tumor in the choroid, and 48(58%) had an advanced tumor that had invaded the sclera or the orbit (T3/T4) tumor. Sixty-two(76%) were treated by I-125 radioactive plaque, with globe salvage in 59(95%); the five-year survival rate was 85%.

Conclusion

In Jordan, RB is more common and has better survival than UM. RB in Jordan and Western countries is equal in terms of incidence, globe salvage, and survival. UM is less common, with lower age at diagnosis (that was associated with better survival) in Jordan than in Western countries.

KEYWORDS:

• Incidence
• Jordan
• Retinoblastoma
• survival
• uveal melanoma

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge Cherise Guess, PhD, ELS (Senior Scientific Editor, Department of Scientific Editing, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital) for the comprehensive language and scientific editing of the manuscript. We also thank Ayat Al Rahamneh, Ayat Al Khuly, Adam Jarad, and Sami AlTalla (Department of Nursing) (King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan) for their assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.