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Melanoma of the Iris
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Melanoma of the iris develops at the age of 9 to 84 years, more often in the fifth decade of life in women. At half of patients duration of disease before the reference to the doctor makes about 1 year, at the others a dark stain on an iris notice in the childhood. Melanoma of the iris is morphologically characterized by pronounced structural and cellular atypism. In general, there is a spindle-cell type of tumor, which determines its more benign flow.
[Symptoms of melanoma of the iris
By the nature of growth, the nodular, diffuse (very rare) and mixed melanoma of the iris are isolated. Nodal melanoma of the iris has the appearance of an indistinctly delimited node, which leads into the anterior chamber. The surface of the tumor is uneven, the depth of the anterior chamber is uneven. The color of melanoma varies from light to dark brown. Growing into the stroma of the iris, the tumor can mimic the cyst. When melanoma contacts the posterior epithelium of the cornea, its local clouding appears. Sprouting the iris dilator, the tumor leads to a change in the shape of the pupil: its edge on the side of the tumor flattenes, does not react to the mydriatica. In the corner of the anterior chamber - stagnation in the vessels of the iris. The tumor can fill the posterior chamber, causing lens compression, clouding and posterior dislocation. Complexes of tumor cells are scattered on the surface of the iris, it acquires a mottled appearance. Due to the germination of the tumor into the corner of the anterior chamber, the outflow of the intraocular fluid is disrupted, the intraocular hypertension resistant, not amenable to drug therapy develops.
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Treatment of Irrigation Melanoma
Treatment of the melanoma of the iris is surgical. Localized melanoma of the iris, occupying not more than 1/3 of itcircle, is subject to local removal. It is possible to perform local photodynamic therapy. With a larger lesion size, the enucleation of the eyeball should be recommended. The prognosis for life is usually favorable given the prevalence of the spindle-cell type of tumor. Metastasis of the iris melanoma is observed in 5-15% of cases and mainly with large tumors. The prognosis for iris melanoma for vision after performing organ-preserving surgeries is usually favorable.