Local excision of retinal metastasis from cutaneous melanoma

The incidence of cutaneous melanoma is constantly rising. Ocular involvement is rare and the choroid is the most accessible structure to metastatic emboli. The case described is noteworthy on account of several particular features: 1) the missed diagnosis of the primary malignancy. This might be because either cutaneous melanoma or cutaneous nevi show several common features; 2) the rarity of the retinal metastatic site. Unlike the choroid, the retina is an unusual metastatic site but, regardless of organ blood flow, the metastatic efficiency may be related to interactions between tumor cells and host tissue; 3) the treatment of the retinal metastasis, excised conservatively. As far as we know, this is the first report of a retinal metastasis being treated by local resection.