Characteristics and trends in mortality from eye and ocular adnexal cancer in Chile

Purpose: To describe and analyze the characteristics and trends of mortality from eye and adnexal cancer in Chile, by age and sex during 1990-2018. Material and methods: A retrospective cohort study to analyze the age-adjusted mortality rate, by sex and age groups was carried out. With these data, a trend analysis for the standardized mortality rate was performed using a joinpoint regression analysis, allowing the annual percentage change (APC) to be estimated to find significant changes in trends. Results: 407 people (201 men and 206 women) died due to these causes from 1990-2018. Mortality rate has a bimodal presentation: in childhood and in old adults. Slightly higher in men than women (age-standardized rate: 0,12 vs 0,08 per 100.000, respectively), but a decrease of 53% was observed in both sexes. During the period, there was a statistically significant fall in the APC of-3,43% per year in both sexes, more in men (-3,31%) than in women (-3,66%). Conclusions: Mortality from malignant neoplasm of eye and adnexa peaks in childhood and later in older adults. In children, the majority correspond to malignant neoplasm of retina and in older adults of the orbit. Mortality is higher in men than women, but both rates have been decreasing, resembling those of industrialized countries. Despite the absence of incidence data in Chile, this decline could be due to the improvement of diagnostic protocols and treatment, leading to lower mortality rates.