Bilateral uveal melanoma in an arc welder

To report sequential bilateral uveal melanoma in an arc welder.

Case report.

A 57-year-old Caucasian male, with a 15-year profession of arc welding, was found to have an iridociliary mass in his left eye (OS), measuring 14 × 10 × 4 mm, and proven on fine needle aspiration biopsy to be spindle B-cell melanoma. A coincidental small choroidal nevus was observed in the right eye (OD). There was no ocular melanocytosis. Plaque radiotherapy was applied OS, with regression of the iridociliary melanoma. Four years later, the choroidal nevus OD enlarged into melanoma measuring 8 × 7 × 2.7 mm and was treated successfully with plaque radiotherapy. There was no evidence of systemic metastasis at 56-month follow-up.

Arc welding is a known environmental risk for unilateral uveal melanoma, and possibly predisposed our patient to bilateral uveal melanoma.