CAVITATION IN CILIARY BODY MELANOMA

PURPOSE: To report a case of a cystic ciliary body melanoma that appea red clinically as a solid mass. METHODS: A 59-year-old woman underwent an iridocyclectomy for removal of a ciliary body melanoma in the righ t eye. The tumor was analyzed histopathologically for acid mucopolysac cha ride production. RESULTS: Histopathology identified a ciliary body melanoma with cystic cavities. Contents of the cystic spaces did not stain with alcian blue. Histologic findings suggested exudation, cavit ary necrosis, or both rather than acid mucopolysaccharide production a s pathogenic factors for cyst formation. CONCLUSION: Cystic cavities c an develop in a solid, malignant tumor and therefore should not be con sidered signs of a benign lesion.