Uveal melanocytomas: genetic comparison with uveal and dermal melanomas.
OBJECTIVE
Melanocytomas of the eye are typically benign tumors that may be associated with nevi and melanomas. In this study, we assessed the genetic data of melanocytomas and compared them with nevi and melanomas of both the eyes and the skin.


METHODS
We microdissected 8 melanocytomas, 13 uveal melanomas, and 10 cutaneous melanomas and analyzed loss of heterozygosity markers on chromosome bands 1p36, 6q22-23.3, 9p21, and 10q23, which represent genetic loci associated with advanced dermal melanocytic lesions.


RESULTS
There was no loss of heterozygosity in any of the melanocytomas. However, many loss of heterozygosity events were found in uveal and cutaneous melanomas, most frequently involving chromosome 1 damage followed by chromosome 9 and 10 alterations.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the absence of loss of heterozygosity in melanocytomas, specifically the locus that is lost most often in dysplastic nevi of the skin, we conclude that melanocytomas represent an entity that is different from melanomas or may be similar to that of dermal benign nevi.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results confirm that melanocytomas represent nonagressive lesions that do not demand radical surgery.
Fogt
Franz
F
Department of Pathology, Presbyterian Medical Cetner, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA. franz.fogt@uphs.upenn.edu
Selim
Angelica M
AM
Xu
George X
GX
Prinz
Mechthild K
MK
Eagle
Ralph C
RC
Budimlija
Zoran M
ZM
D002878:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1 / Q000235:genetics; D002879:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 10 / Q000235:genetics; D002896:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 6 / Q000235:genetics; D002899:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology