| Malignant Melanoma
|
Etiology
• Sun exposure.
|
Pathogenesis
• Proliferation of melanocytes either in the uveal tract (iris, ciliary body and choroid) or in the retina,
|
Epidemiology
• Incidence is 5% that of melanoma in general
• Affects older patients with sun exposure
|
General Gross Description
• Usually pigmented lesion which may be visible if located anteriorly
• Posterior lesions may be detected with change in vision
• Malignancy may also be detected after metastatic spread
|
General Microscopic Description
• May be spindle cell or epithelioid
• Spindle cell lesions may be relatively bland with little mitotic activity
• Epithelioid lesions lesions have large pleomorphic nuclei, prominent nucleoli, variably pigmented cytoplasm and mitotic activity
|
Clinical Correlation
• Outcome dependent on size and cell type
• Predilection for liver metastasis.
|
References
• Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL. Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease 5th edition. W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, 1994, pp. 1180-1.
|
| Malignant Melanoma
|
| Synopsis by: Melinda Sanders M.D. (TXX000M87203)[351]
|
Search Medline at National Library of Medicine
Please be patient during transfer. Medline will open in a new window. To return, close the Medline Window
|