title: Absence of type I estrogen receptors in choroidal melanoma: analysis of Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS) eyes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate choroidal melanomas in enucleated eyes for the presence of type I estrogen receptors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen consecutive eyes with large choroidal melanomas (defined as >16-mm basal diameter and >8 mm thickness) from 14 patients (eight women and six men with a mean age of 57 years; range, 25--74 years) enucleated in accordance with the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS) protocol were investigated. Immunohistochemical techniques were employed to label the choroidal melanomas for the presence of type I estrogen receptors. Each specimen was then evaluated in a masked fashion by an experienced ophthalmic pathologist for positive nuclear staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No tumors showed immunohistochemical evidence of a type I estrogen receptor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Type I estrogen receptors are not present in choroidal melanoma. Estrogens are not likely to influence choroidal melanoma growth through traditional receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53792, USA.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Grostern
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Slusker Shternfeld
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Bacus
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Zimbric
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Albert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen