Orbital extension of Choroidal and ciliary body melanomas
H. F. Shammas and F. C. Blodi
In a review of 432 choroidal and ciliary body melanomas, histopathologic
evidence of orbital extension was found in 45 cases (10.4 percent). The
occurrence of orbital extension was influenced mainly by the cell type (P
less than .05) and by the size of the choroidal mass (P less than .001).
Local orbital recurrence occurred in 23 percent of cases with evidence of
extrascleral extension. Survival rates were independent of cell type,
pigmentation, and size and shape of the extension. Patients treated by
exenteration had significantly better prognosis than nontreated patients or
patients treated by chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or local excision (P equals
.0002). Early exentration is the best treatment for choroidal melanomas
with orbital extension.
