Malignant melanoma of the conjunctiva is a rare tumour of middle and old age. It is seen predominantly in whites, and is rare in those of pigmented ethnicity. Its clinical presentation varies, and making a clinical diagnosis may be difficult. The tumour is potentially fatal and displays a high rate of recurrence, which can be attributed to delay in diagnosis, as well as inadequate surgical appr...

tions and similarities in chromosomal gains and losses (1). Specifically, 27% of 78 primary or locally recurrent conjunctival melanoma samples harbored a BRAF V600E mutation. Another study also demonstrated BRAF V600E mutations in 58% of conjunctival melanomas (primary and metastatic) (2). The incidence of this mutation approximates that reported in cutaneous melanoma (3). Now that two phase II...

BACKGROUND The management of conjunctival melanoma is difficult because of the rarity of the disease, confusing terminology, high rates of local tumor recurrence, controversies regarding treatment, a poor evidence base, unreliable prognostication, and significant mortality rates. METHODS The medical literature was reviewed, focusing on treatment and management options for conjunctival melanom...

This paper aims to stimulate debate on the terminology, classification, grading and staging of conjunctival melanosis and melanoma. We audited our results with 76 invasive conjunctival melanomas. Staging according to the sixth edition of the Tumour Node Metastasis (TNM) system did not correlate well with tumour extent and outcome. Approximately 50% of invasive melanomas were associated with 'pr...

CLINICAL CASE The cases of an 86 year-old woman and a 61 year-old man with conjunctival pigmented tumors are presented. An excisional biopsy, conjunctival cryotherapy and amniotic membrane grafts were performed in both cases, along with the application of mitomycin-C in the postoperative period. The histology study confirmed the clinical suspicion of melanoma. Tolerance was good during the foll...

Ocular melanoma is the second most common type of melanoma after cutaneous and the most common primary intraocular malignant tumor in adults. Large majority of ocular melanomas originate from uvea, while conjunctival melanomas are far less frequent. Incidence of uveal melanoma has remained stable over last three decades. Diagnosis is in most cases established by clinical examination with great ...

Here we describe the case of a 65-year-old Caucasian female who presented with an amelanotic malignant conjunctival melanoma and highlight the clinical and pathological features of this rare entity that displayed exclusive corneal invasive growth without evidence of conjunctival tumors other than primary acquired melanosis. Impression cytology aided in the initial diagnosis. The patient underwe...

Melanoma involving the conjunctiva is extremely rare. Graver prognosis has been reported with primary conjunctival melanoma than with their cutaneous counterparts [Collin et al.: Aust N Z J Ophthalmol 1986;14:29-34]. Among conjunctival melanomas, two significant risk factors for tumour-related death have been identified: (i) age older than 55 years and (ii) unfavourable tumour location (caruncl...

clinically misdiagnosed as choroidal melanoma. Currently, most subretinal tumors assumed to be choroidal melanomas are treated with radiotherapy without histological confirmation. The diagnosis of an RPE carcinoma may therefore be missed. Finger et al described a darkly pigmented subretinal tumor accompanied by inflammation that was suspected of being an adenocarcinoma of the RPE. In several pu...

clinically misdiagnosed as choroidal melanoma. Currently, most subretinal tumors assumed to be choroidal melanomas are treated with radiotherapy without histological confirmation. The diagnosis of an RPE carcinoma may therefore be missed. Finger et al described a darkly pigmented subretinal tumor accompanied by inflammation that was suspected of being an adenocarcinoma of the RPE. In several pu...