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This slide shows a primary malignant melanoma of the
retina. Most of the histological features of this tumor are just like those
of cutaneous melanomas. You will note a lot of pigment, so much so, in
fact, that in many instances you won't be able to see the nuclear morphology
of the malignant cells. The one curious feature of this tumor is its propensity
to metastasize to the liver. I have actually heard, jokingly so, the term
"ocular-hepatic" shunt applied to this property of retinal melanomas. For
what's worth, there are actually three sites where primary ocular melanomas
arise: the retina, the iris and the conjunctiva. It is the retinal that
variety frequently metastasizes to the liver, and often very early in the
course of the disease. |
