Locally advanced choroidal melanoma with favorable molecular prognosis - case report

Uveal malignant melanoma is a rare malignant tumor comprising less than 5% of melanoma cases. It is nevertheless the intraocular tumor with the highest incidence in adults, that arises from the melanocytes in the uveal tract. The authors present the case of a patient with locally advanced choroidal melanoma: from presentation to diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. A 63-year-old female patient presented in the Ambulatory of the Emergency County Hospital, Craiova, Romania, on the February 1, 2021, accusing visual acuity drop and photophobia in her left eye for about three weeks. Pathology examination in Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining reveals a dense cell proliferation, with small and medium spindle cells and pigment production. The following immunohistochemical markers were used in our study: human melanoma black 45 (HMB45), Ki67, cyclin D1, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2), S100, Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1), p16, and p53. Uveal melanoma is a malignant tumor that can arise in all the uveal components: iris, ciliary body, and choroid. Out of the three components, iris melanomas have the best prognosis, while ciliary body melanomas have the worst prognosis. It is mandatory for the patient to respect the follow-up schedule, as follow-ups can provide early diagnosis of eventual metastasis.