Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026
Implantation and Evaluation of Melanoma in the Murine Choroid via Optical Coherence Tomography
Published on: December 2, 2022
Conjunctival melanoma: outcomes based on tumor origin in 382 consecutive cases
Carol L Shields1, Jeremy S Markowitz, Irina Belinsky
1Ocular Oncology Service, Wills Eye Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA. shields@shieldsoncology.com
Purpose:
To evaluate prognostic factors based on origin of conjunctival melanoma.
Design:
Interventional case series.
Participants:
Three hundred eighty-two consecutive patients.
Methods:
Retrospective chart review.
Main Outcome Measures:
Melanoma-related metastasis and death.
Results:
The melanoma arose from primary acquired melanosis (PAM; n = 284; 74%), from pre-existing nevus (n = 26; 7%), and de novo (n = 72; 19%). The mean tumor base was 11 mm for melanoma arising from PAM, 6 mm for melanoma arising from nevus, and 10 mm for those arising de novo. At 5 years (10 years), melanoma metastasis occurred in 19% (25%) in melanoma arising from PAM (P = 0.003), 10% (26%) in melanoma from nevus (P = 0.193), and 35% (49%) in those de novo. Factors predictive of metastasis by multivariable analysis included tumor origin de novo (P = 0.001), palpebral location (P<0.001), nodular tumor (P = 0.005), and orbital invasion (P = 0.022). At 5 years (10 years), melanoma-related death occurred in 5% (9%) in melanoma arising from PAM (P<0.001), 0% (9%) in melanoma arising from nevus (P<0.057), and 17% (35%) in those arising de novo. Factors predictive of death by multivariable analysis included tumor origin de novo (P<0.001), fornix location (P = 0.04), and nodular tumor (P = 0.001).
Conclusions:
Melanoma arising de novo carries a higher risk of melanoma-related metastasis and death compared with those cases arising from PAM or nevus.
