Published date: Nov 30 2023

Journal Title: Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research

Issue title: Oct–Dec 2023, Volume 18, Issue 4

Pages: 445–451

DOI: 10.18502/jovr.v18i4.14558

Arman Mashayekhi - mashayekhi.arman@mayo.edu

Mohammad Yousaf

Syril Dorairaj

Kevin Wu

Isabella Wagner

James Bolling

Purpose: To report the development of malignant epiretinal membrane after radiation of ciliary body melanoma.
Case report: A 65-year-old woman was referred for evaluation of a ciliary body tumor in her right eye. On examination, a pigmented ciliary body tumor, displacing the iris anteriorly, was visible superotemporally and ultrasound biomicroscopy revealed a large solid ciliary body tumor. She was diagnosed with ciliary body melanoma and treated with proton beam radiation. Over the following 29 months, the treated tumor regressed but optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed the development of a dense epiretinal membrane. Enucleation was performed and histopathological examination showed viable melanoma cells in the vitreous cavity with sheet-like growth of viable spindle melanoma cells on the epiretinal surface.
Conclusion: The development of a pigmented epiretinal membrane in eyes with uveal melanoma should raise the possibility of a malignant epiretinal membrane.

1. Metz CH, Bornfeld N, Metz KA, Gök M. Suspected vitreous seeding of uveal melanoma: relevance of diagnostic vitrectomy. Br J Ophthalmol 2016;100:660–664.

2. Mashayekhi A, Shields C, Eagle R, Shields J. Vitreous and preretinal seeding after transvitreal fine needle aspiration biopsy of choroidal melanoma. Retin Cases Br Rep 2021;15:713–717.

3. Raval V, Bowen R, Soto H, Biscotti C, Yeaney G, Sears J, et al. Vitreous seeding of choroidal melanoma. Retina 2021;41:890–894.

4. Avery RB, Diener-West M, Reynolds SM, Grossniklaus HE, Green WR, Albert DM. Histopathologic characteristics of choroidal melanoma in eyes enucleated after iodine 125 brachytherapy in the collaborative ocular melanoma study. Arch Ophthalmol 2008;126:207–212.

5. Van Buskirk EM, Leure-duPree AE. Pathophysiology and electron microscopy of melanomalytic glaucoma. Am J Ophthalmol 1978;85:160–166.