J W Harbour1, M A Brantley, H Hollingsworth, M Gordon. 1. Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Box 8069, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO 63110, USA. harbour@vision.wustl.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: It is well known that light skin pigmentation is a risk factor for cutaneous melanoma. The aim of this study was to investigate the analogous association between choroidal pigmentation and posterior uveal melanoma. METHODS: Cross sectional study of 65 consecutive patients diagnosed with posterior uveal melanoma (melanoma group) and 218 consecutive patients referred for general retinal evaluation (control group). All patients were white. A clinical grading system for estimating choroidal pigmentation was developed and histologically validated in seven patients. RESULTS: Melanoma patients with light iris colour were significantly more likely to have darker choroidal pigmentation than controls (p = 0.005). Darker choroidal pigmentation was associated histologically with increased density of choroidal melanocytes (p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Increased choroidal pigmentation, as a result of an increase in the density of pigmented choroidal melanocytes, is not protective but may actually be a risk factor for the development of posterior uveal melanoma in white patients. This finding may have implications for understanding the pathogenesis of uveal melanoma.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: It is well known that light skin pigmentation is a risk factor for cutaneous melanoma. The aim of this study was to investigate the analogous association between choroidal pigmentation and posterior uveal melanoma. METHODS: Cross sectional study of 65 consecutive patients diagnosed with posterior uveal melanoma (melanoma group) and 218 consecutive patients referred for general retinal evaluation (control group). All patients were white. A clinical grading system for estimating choroidal pigmentation was developed and histologically validated in seven patients. RESULTS:Melanomapatients with light iris colour were significantly more likely to have darker choroidal pigmentation than controls (p = 0.005). Darker choroidal pigmentation was associated histologically with increased density of choroidal melanocytes (p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Increased choroidal pigmentation, as a result of an increase in the density of pigmented choroidal melanocytes, is not protective but may actually be a risk factor for the development of posterior uveal melanoma in white patients. This finding may have implications for understanding the pathogenesis of uveal melanoma.
Authors: R D Cone; D Lu; S Koppula; D I Vage; H Klungland; B Boston; W Chen; D N Orth; C Pouton; R A Kesterson Journal: Recent Prog Horm Res Date: 1996
Authors: R P Gallagher; J M Elwood; J Rootman; J J Spinelli; G B Hill; W J Threlfall; J M Birdsell Journal: J Natl Cancer Inst Date: 1985-04 Impact factor: 13.506