title: A rapidly growing choroidal melanoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We describe a rapidly growing choroidal melanoma that failed to respond to consecutive globe-sparing treatments in an individual with ocular melanocytosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interventional case report.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 53-year-old man with right ocular melanocytosis, decreased vision in the right eye, and right eye pain was referred for suspected choroidal melanoma. The lesion, which measured 2.4 mm x 6.6 mm x 6.0 mm, was treated with transpupillary thermotherapy on two occasions and with iodine-125 (I-125) plaque brachytherapy, both of which failed. Enucleation allowed histologic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At enucleation, the choroidal melanoma in the right eye measured 13.6 mm x 16.5 mm x 16.9 mm, which demonstrated the most rapid growth and doubling time reported in a tumor of this type thus far. Pathologic analysis classified the tumor as a mixed-cell type.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case reiterates the association between ocular melanocytosis and choroidal melanoma, provides additional evidence that rapid growth and doubling time may be associated with transpupillary thermotherapy and I-125 plaque failure, and highlights the need to follow those tumors closely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Laquis
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: Matthew W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Barrett G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Haik
mesh_terms: D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015353:Eye Enucleation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D017211:Treatment Failure; D014463:Ultrasonography