The Epidemiology and Survival Outcomes of Adult Conjunctival Malignancies in Germany: A Decade-Long Population-Based Analysis (2009–2019)

ABSTRACT

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the epidemiological patterns, treatment strategies, and survival outcomes of conjunctival malignancies in Germany between 2009 and 2019.

Methods

A total of 1,532 cases were analyzed, with the crude incidence rate calculated. The survival rates were investigated using life tables and Cox regression analysis.

Results

The overall incidence rate was 1.7 per million. Incidence rates varied across age groups, peaking in the 75+ age group. Carcinomas (43%), melanomas (30%), and lymphomas (20%), were the most prevalent malignancies. Of the total cases with reported treatment, surgical intervention was undertaken in 64.5% of the patients. The 5-year overall survival rates were 90.4% for lymphomas, 73.8% for melanomas, and 72.9% for carcinomas. Age at diagnosis emerged as a significant prognostic factor in the Cox regression analysis.

Conclusions

This study provides the first population-based incidence data on conjunctival malignancies in Germany, noting a generally low incidence with survival rates comparable to other regions. The findings underscore the importance of consistent reporting and further research into risk factors for a deeper understanding of these malignancies. The study calls for improved reporting systems and further investigations into genetic factors and targeted prevention strategies for high-risk groups.

KEYWORDS:

• Basal cell carcinoma
• conjunctival malignancies
• Germany
• incidence
• melanoma
• squamous cell carcinoma
• survival

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Mr. Mohamed Ismail-Rakha for the language revision. We would like to thank Dr. Klaus Kraywinkel and Dr. Nina Buttmann-Schweiger from the Centre of Cancer Registry Data, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany, for helping with data extraction.

Authors’ contribution

ASA: Conceptualization, Methodology, Visualization, Investigation, Data Analysis, Resources, Writing – original draft. PC: Interpretation, Literature review, Writing – original draft, VK, AW, CVM: Interpretation, Writing-final, Revision. OS: Conceptualization, Resources, Interpretation, Writing-final, Revision

Disclosure statement

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

Ethical statement

The study was conducted following the ethical standards with the tenets of the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Cancer data is anonymized, reportable by law, and considered non-human subject research. Thus, it is IRB approval- and HIPAA – exempt.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/09286586.2024.2361170.

Additional information

Funding

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