Metastatic choroidal melanoma

We studied the metastatic pattern of 41 patients initially referred with a primary choroidal melanoma who later developed widespread disease. In the order of frequency, the most common sites of metastatic involvement were the liver (56%), subcutaneous tissue (36.5%), and bone (7%). Whereas the median interval between enucleation and the onset of metastatic disease was approximately four years, in rare cases, metastases were diagnosed concurrently with a primary choroidal melanoma. Since patients with choroidal melanomas usually survive less than one year after the development of widespread disease, a metastatic examination should be done in all patients with pigmented choroidal tumors both before and after ocular therapy. From the data obtained in this and other studies on metastatic melanoma, a reasonable basic metastatic examination for choroidal melanoma patients should include a serum lactic dehydrogenase, a serum alkaline phosphatase, a routine chest X-ray, and a general physical examination.