Reappraisal of Callender's spindle a type of malignant melanoma of choroid and ciliary body

Abstract

A follow-up study and histologic reevaluation were made of 105 melanomas of the choroid and ciliary body that had originally been classified as Callender's spindle A type. There were 18 deaths attributable to tumor, with metastatic disease confirmed by autopsy or biopsy in eight cases. We were able to separate the 105 melanomas histopathologically into three groups. The first group consisted of 15 cases in which the spindle-shaped tumor cells were cytologically benign; no deaths were observed for this group. The 75 tumors in the second group were composed of spindle cells, but differed from those in the first group by their malignant features, namely, more atypicality of cells, mitotic activity, necrosis, invasion into sclera or through Bruch's membrane, larger size of the tumor, or any combination of the above. The prognosis for this group was good, comparable to that of spindle B melanomas. The 15 tumors in the third group contained epithelioid cells and had a poor prognosis, comparable to that of mixed-cell melanomas.