Abstract
Abstract
Objectives
To investigate patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in biopsy-confirmed and treated conjunctival melanoma.
Methods
Retrospective, cross-sectional observational case series assessing PROMs 1 year after initial treatment. A total of 13 consecutive patients who underwent excision of newly diagnosed conjunctival melanoma between June and December 2023 in a single UK specialized tertiary center met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 11 patients (85%) completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 (Quality of Life of Cancer Patients) and QLQ-OPT30 (Quality of Life of Ophthalmic Cancer Patients) questionnaires. The 60 items assessed general health, ocular symptoms, functional status, psychosocial impacts, overall quality of life and health within the last week. Responses were analysed.
Results
Mean scores across the 58 items ranged from 1.00 to 2.18/4 (‘not at all 'to ‘a little’), indicating an overall mild impact. Patients were slightly limited in activities of daily living but more restricted in pursuing hobbies and social activities, which most did not attribute to their eyesight. Patients reported some symptoms of depression and worry, both generally and related to their health. Common ocular symptoms included: dry eye, watering, difficulty driving in the dark and difficulty judging distances. Overall health in the last week was rated 4.91/7 and overall quality of life was 5.18/7.
Conclusions
There is a paucity of research exploring quality of life in treated conjunctival melanoma. These findings can help inform patients and clinicians about potential long-term symptoms, functional difficulties and psychological effects, thereby managing expectations. Consequently, further endeavours can be directed to better support patients with conjunctival melanoma.