Survival statistics for eye cancer

Last medical review:

Survival statistics for cancer are very general estimates and must be interpreted very carefully. Because these statistics are based on the experience of groups of people, they cannot be used to predict a particular person’s chances of survival.

There are many different ways to measure and report cancer survival statistics. Your doctor can explain these statistics and what they mean to you.

Net survival

Net survival represents the probability (chance) of surviving cancer in the absence of other causes of death. It is used to give an estimate of the percentage of people who will survive cancer.

In Canada, the 5-year net survival for eye cancer is 73%. This means that, on average, about 73% of people diagnosed with eye cancer will live for at least 5 years.

However, survival for individual types of eye cancer may vary slightly. Separate statistics for survival by stage are not available. The above statistic represents survival for eye cancer in general and includes data across all types and stages.

Questions about survival

Talk to your doctor about your prognosis. A prognosis depends on many factors, including:

  • your health history
  • the type of cancer
  • the stage
  • certain aspects of the cancer, such as cell type and location of the tumour
  • the treatments chosen
  • how the cancer responds to treatment

Only a doctor familiar with these factors can put all of this information together with survival statistics to arrive at a prognosis.

Expert review and references

  • Tina Felfeli, MD
  • Hatem Krema, MD, MSc, FRCS, FICO (Hon.)
  • American Cancer Society. Eye Cancer Survival Rates. 2023. https://www.cancer.org/.
  • Biswas J, Singh Sodhi PK, Weng Cy, Palestine A, Gonzales J, Tsui E, et al.. Intraocular melanoma. EyeWiki. American Academy of Opthalmology; 2024. https://eyewiki.aao.org/Main_Page.
  • Hendrix A, Hendrix M. Survival with squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva in the United States 1973–2009. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. –: 2013: 54(15): 2116.
  • Moslehi R, Coles BF, Schymura MJ. Descriptive epidemiology of ophthalmic and ocular adnexal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Expert Review of Ophthalmology. 2011: 6(2): 175-180.
  • Stålhamman G, Herrspiegel C. Long-term relative survival in uveal melanoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Communications Medicine. 2022: 2(18).
  • Surveillance Research Program. SEER Explorer: Eye and Orbit, SEER 5-Year Relative Survival Rates, 2013-2019. National Cancer Institute; 2023. https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/.
  • Virgili G, Parravano M, Gatta G, Capocaccia R, Mazzini C, Mallone S, et al.. Incidence and survival of patients with conjunctival melanoma in Europe. JAMA Ophthalmology. 2020: 138(6): 601–608.
  • Statistics Canada. Table 13-10-0160-01 Age-standardized five-year net survival estimates for primary sites of cancer, by sex, three years combined. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/start.

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Medical disclaimer

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