title: [Clinical and histopathological studies of melanocytoma of the optic disc].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the clinical features that may be useful in determining the malignant transformation of a melanocytoma of the optic disc.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical documentation of 10 cases, including visual acuity, visual field, fundus findings and fluorescein angiogram were analyzed retrospectively. Three of them undergone histopathologic examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A benign melanocytoma may have some degree of decreased visual acuity, progressive nerve fiber bundle defect, certain amount of pigment dispersion into the vitreous, slight macular exudation and extension of the tumor tissue into the peripapillary area of the retina.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The progression of the associated clinical symptoms and signs appears to be not necessarily indicative of a malignant transformation of the benign disease unless they are associated with rapid enlargement of the tumor mass as well as marked pigmentary changes of the tumor surface.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, EENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai 200031, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000473:pathology*; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology*; D019574:Optic Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014794:Visual Fields