Two discrete choroidal melanomas in an eye with ocular melanocytosis

Abstract

We report a case of multifocal choroidal melanoma arising in an eye with ocular melanocytosis and review the pertinent literature. A 63-year-old Caucasian male with ocular melanocytosis in the left eye was found to have two discrete choroidal melanomas in the same eye. Histopathology of the enucleated eye confirmed the diagnosis of two discrete choroidal melanomas of mixed cell type within a region of choroidal melanocytosis. It is estimated that 1 in 160,000 patients with unilateral ocular melanocytosis may develop two uveal melanomas, based on the reported data. On the basis of random chance, patients with two melanomas in the same eye would be expected to have approximately 1000-fold greater likelihood of underlying ocular melanocytosis than the general Caucasian population. In conclusion, multifocal choroidal melanoma is rare and may be related to underlying ocular melanocytosis.