Iris ring melanoma: fine needle biopsy.
OBJECTIVE
To delineate the diagnostic accuracy of fine needle biopsy in iris ring melanoma and determine the tumour related mortality of this neoplasm.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of 22 patients with iris melanomas that involve the entire 360 degrees of the anterior chamber angle.


RESULTS
Iris ring melanomas were correctly diagnosed in all cases. In 11 of 16 cases (69%) a fine needle biopsy performed 180 degrees away from the main mass was positive for an iris ring melanoma. The tumour related mortality in iris ring melanoma cases was four of 22 patients (18%). Actuarial survival analysis showed a 10 year mortality (Kaplan-Meier) of 15%.


CONCLUSIONS
A fine needle aspiration biopsy can be used to diagnose an iris ring melanoma. Iris ring melanomas have significant mortality compared with focal tumours.
Char
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DH
The Tumori Foundation, 45 Castro Street, Suite 309, San Francisco, CA 94114, USA. devron@tumori.org
Kemlitz
A E
AE
Miller
T
T
Crawford
J B
JB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002648:Child; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D006801:Humans; D015811:Iris Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis