Primary malignant melanoma of the optic nerve simulating a melanocytoma
S. A. Erzurum, L. M. Jampol, C. Territo and R. O'Grady
Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Ill 60611.
Primary malignant melanoma of the optic nerve head is an extremely rare
tumor. We describe a patient with a pigmented optic nerve lesion that
simulated a growing melanocytoma. The pigmented tumor slowly infiltrated
the optic nerve causing disc edema, retinal venous congestion, progressive
visual field loss, and eventually, loss of central acuity. Following
enucleation of the eye, and later resections of the optic nerve to the
chiasm, histopathologic examination of the optic nerve, disc, and
peripapillary region demonstrated a primary malignant melanoma of the optic
nerve without choroidal involvement. Involvement of the optic nerve
extended 26 mm beyond the lamina cribrosa. Malignant melanoma of the optic
nerve is a real entity and may clinically simulate a melanocytoma.
