Primary malignant melanoma of the lacrimal sac.
Primary malignant melanoma of the lacrimal sac is extremely rare. It is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage after excision or biopsy of a tumour. We treated a 59-year-old man with tearing and bloody discharge from the right eye. Clinical examination revealed a firm, localised mass at the inner canthus consistent with a lacrimal sac swelling. Sac washout demonstrated obstruction to entry into the lacrimal sac with a reflux of blood-stained fluid. The pathological findings and the immunohistochemical studies showed a malignant melanoma of the lacrimal sac. We performed radical surgery and radiation therapy. Follow-up 4 months after surgery revealed no evidence of recurrence. Because this tumour often presents with symptoms similar to dacryocystitis and may masquerade as a chronic dacryocystitis, ophthalmologists should be aware of this disease entity when encountered with patients with epiphora and mass in the medial canthal area.
Department of Ophthalmology, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University of PLA, Xian, People's Republic of China. eyeliyjun@126.com
Yang-Jun
YJ
Li
Shao-Jun
SJ
Zhu
Hong
H
Yan
Jing
J
Han
Dan
D
Wang
Shuang
S
Xu
D001706:Biopsy; D003607:Dacryocystitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed