March 3, 2026Open Access

Real-World Treatment Patterns and Survival in Uveal Melanoma: A Multicenter Cohort Study by the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG)

Key Points

Overall survival for metastatic patients is 16 months, highlighting critical outcomes in uveal melanoma.
43.4% of patients developed metastases during follow-up, largely affecting the liver, indicating the disease's aggressive nature.
This multicenter retrospective cohort study evaluated clinical characteristics and treatment patterns across 19 oncology centers in Türkiye.
The findings underscore the need for better access to effective therapies like tebentafusp in Türkiye, as challenges remain.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Uveal melanoma (UM) is a subtype of melanoma that originates from the uveal layer of the eye (iris, ciliary body, choroid) and is biologically distinct from cutaneous melanoma. The real-world evidence on treatment patterns and survival outcomes, particularly from non-Western populations, remains limited. This study provides a comprehensive national overview of local and systemic management of UM across Türkiye. Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study, coordinated by the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG), included patients diagnosed with UM between 2012 and 2025 across 19 tertiary oncology centers. Clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes were analyzed. Systemic therapies were subgrouped as immunotherapy or cytotoxic chemotherapy. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method; prognostic factors for OS were analyzed by Cox regression. Results: A total of 113 patients were included; 89.4% presented with localized disease. During follow-up, 43.4% developed metastases, predominantly hepatic (93.5%). 47.4% of metastatic patients received liver-directed treatments; the most common treatment was radioembolization, and these treatments were associated with longer OS. Among 59 patients receiving systemic therapy, immunotherapy demonstrated higher ORR and DCR than chemotherapy across treatment lines, although small subgroup sizes limited statistical significance. Dual immune checkpoint blockade emerged as an independent favorable prognostic factor in multivariate analysis. Median OS for metastatic patients was 16 months (95% CI: 9.3-22.7). HLA-A*02:01 was positive in 29.4% of patients tested, and only three patients received tebentafusp. Conclusions: This large national cohort highlights substantial real-world heterogeneity in treatment patterns and confirms the limited efficacy of chemotherapy, the prognostic benefit of dual ICI therapy, and the potential survival advantage of liver-directed treatments in selected patients. Low HLA-A*02:01 positivity and limited access to tebentafusp remain major challenges in Türkiye. These findings provide an essential benchmark for improving treatment strategies in metastatic UM.

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