[Natural history of malignant melanoma of the choroid]

Study of five patients with uveal melanomas, followed 3 to 11 years without treatment. In all cases the tumor progressed, involving orbital tissue in 2 cases. One patient died of metastasis after 4 years of evolution. The authors emphasize the variability of the growth rate in individual cases which explains the various clinical aspects. Metastasis can be seen in treated or untreated melanomas, often after a prolonged period. In case four, pulmonary metastasis was documented 20 years after enucleation with a very low growth rate. Natural history of uveal melanoma shows a low but regular growth which ends in local and general extension.