title: Ocular surface foreign bodies: novel findings mimicking ocular malignant melanoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Malignant melanoma of the eye is an uncommon condition that is important to recognise. We describe three cases in which ocular foreign bodies have masqueraded as ocular malignant melanoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interventional case reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Case 1 describes diathermy-induced carbon particle implantation, during plaque therapy for the treatment of uveal melanoma, mimicking recurrence with extra-scleral invasion. Case 2 shows a foreign body called 'mullite' mimicking conjunctival melanoma. Case 3 demonstrates a conjunctival foreign body called 'illite' that mimicked a limbal melanocytic lesion, clinically thought to be either melanocytoma or melanoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This report highlights the importance of careful history taking, examination, and appropriate biopsy in cases of suspected malignant melanoma, to prevent unnecessary and potentially radical treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital , Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maudgil
authors.affiliation: Electron Microscopy Unit, Department of Histopathology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital , Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rundle
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Ophthalmology & Orthoptics, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: I G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Rennie
authors.affiliation: National Specialist Ophthalmic Pathology Service (NSOPS)-Department of Histopathology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Mudhar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000032:analysis; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000293:injuries*; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005129:Eye Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D008903:Minerals; C099089:illite; C049037:aluminosilicate; D002244:Carbon
references.citation: Eye (Lond). 1994;8 ( Pt 5):606-8
references.pmid: 7835467
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 2002 Jul;134(1):117-8
references.pmid: 12095818
references.citation: Cornea. 2005 May;24(4):496-7
references.pmid: 15829815
references.citation: Cornea. 1985-1986;4(4):263-5
references.pmid: 3836032
references.citation: Can J Ophthalmol. 2006 Apr;41(2):207-9
references.pmid: 16767210
references.citation: Arch Ophthalmol. 1963 Aug;70:170-2
references.pmid: 14060094
references.citation: Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2005 Dec;33(6):661-3
references.pmid: 16402964