Skip to main content
Journal of the National Medical Association logoLink to Journal of the National Medical Association
. 1995 Sep;87(9):709–714.

Uveal melanomas in black patients: a case series and comparative review.

B A Phillpotts 1, R J Sanders 1, J A Shields 1, J D Griffiths 1, J A Augsburger 1, C L Shields 1
PMCID: PMC2607893  PMID: 9583969

Abstract

Uveal melanomas are rare in black patients. Of a total of 2586 patients with the diagnosis of posterior uveal melanoma who were managed in the Oncology Service at Wills Eye Hospital from 1974 to 1987, 10 patients (0.39%) were black. Data on patient age (mean: 53.9 years), sex (male-to-female ratio: 7:3), and relative frequency of disease between black (0.39% of total cases) and white patients were similar to that of previous reports. The distinguishing characteristics (incidence, risk factors, complications, and prognostic indicators) of uveal melanoma in black versus white patients also were reviewed.

Full text

PDF
709

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Axtell L. M., Myers M. H. Contrasts in survival of black and white cancer patients, 1960-73. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1978 Jun;60(6):1209–1215. doi: 10.1093/jnci/60.6.1209. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Coleman W. P., 3rd, Gately L. E., 3rd, Krementz A. B., Reed R. J., Krementz E. T. Nevi, lentigines, and melanomas in blacks. Arch Dermatol. 1980 May;116(5):548–551. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Egan K. M., Seddon J. M., Glynn R. J., Gragoudas E. S., Albert D. M. Epidemiologic aspects of uveal melanoma. Surv Ophthalmol. 1988 Jan-Feb;32(4):239–251. doi: 10.1016/0039-6257(88)90173-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. FITZPATRICK T. B., KITAMURA H., KUKITA A., ZELLER R. Ocular and dermal melanocytosis. AMA Arch Ophthalmol. 1956 Dec;56(6):830–832. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1956.00930040838004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fine S. L. How should we manage a patient with uveal melanoma? Arch Ophthalmol. 1985 Jul;103(7):910–911. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1985.01050070036025. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gallagher R. P., Elwood J. M., Rootman J., Spinelli J. J., Hill G. B., Threlfall W. J., Birdsell J. M. Risk factors for ocular melanoma: Western Canada Melanoma Study. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1985 Apr;74(4):775–778. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gonder J. R., Ezell P. C., Shields J. A., Augsburger J. J. Ocular melanocytosis. A study to determine the prevalence rate of ocular melanocytosis. Ophthalmology. 1982 Aug;89(8):950–952. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Heitman K. F., Kincaid M. C., Steahly L. Diffuse malignant change in a ciliochoroidal melanocytoma in a patient of mixed racial background. Retina. 1988;8(1):67–72. doi: 10.1097/00006982-198808010-00012. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. JENSEN O. A. MALIGNANT MELANOMAS OF THE UVEA IN DENMARK 1943-1952. A CLINICAL, HISTOPATHOLOGICAL, AND PROGNOSTIC STUDY. Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh) 1963;43:SUPPL 75–8220. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Joffe L., Shields J. A., Osher R. H., Gass J. D. Clinical and follow-up studies of melanocytomas of the optic disc. Ophthalmology. 1979 Jun;86(6):1067–1083. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(79)35421-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Klauss V., Chana H. S. Ocular tumors in Africa. Soc Sci Med. 1983;17(22):1743–1750. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(83)90386-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Krementz E. T., Sutherland C. M., Carter R. D., Ryan R. F. Malignant melanoma in the American Black. Ann Surg. 1976 May;183(5):533–542. doi: 10.1097/00000658-197605000-00010. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kuo P. K., Puliafito C. A., Wang K. M., Liu H. S., Wu B. F. Uveal melanoma in China. Int Ophthalmol Clin. 1982 Fall;22(3):57–71. doi: 10.1097/00004397-198202230-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lee J. A., Merrill J. M. Sunlight and the aetiology of malignant melanoma: a synthesis. Med J Aust. 1970 Oct 31;2(18):846–851. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1970.tb63213.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. MORRIS G. C., Jr, HORN R. C., Jr Malignant melanoma in the Negro; review of the literature and report of nine cases. Surgery. 1951 Feb;29(2):223–230. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Miller B., Abrahams C., Cole G. C., Proctor N. S. Ocular malignant melanoma in South African blacks. Br J Ophthalmol. 1981 Oct;65(10):720–722. doi: 10.1136/bjo.65.10.720. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Pawsey S. A., Magnus I. A., Ramsay C. A., Benson P. F., Giannelli F. Clinical, genetic and DNA repair studies on a consecutive series of patients with xeroderma pigmentosum. Q J Med. 1979 Apr;48(190):179–210. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Reintgen D. S., McCarty K. M., Jr, Cox E., Seigler H. F. Malignant melanoma in black American and white American populations. A comparative review. JAMA. 1982 Oct 15;248(15):1856–1859. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Scotto J., Fraumeni J. F., Jr, Lee J. A. Melanomas of the eye and other noncutaneous sites: epidemiologic aspects. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1976 Mar;56(3):489–491. doi: 10.1093/jnci/56.3.489. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Shah J. P., Goldsmith H. S. Malignant melanoma in the North American Negro. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1971 Sep;133(3):437–439. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Shields J. A., Augsburger J. J., Brown G. C., Stephens R. F. The differential diagnosis of posterior uveal melanoma. Ophthalmology. 1980 Jun;87(6):518–522. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(80)35201-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Shields J. A. Lesions simulating malignant melanoma of the posterior uvea. Arch Ophthalmol. 1973 Jun;89(6):466–471. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1973.01000040468004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Shields J. A., Shields C. L., Donoso L. A. Management of posterior uveal melanoma. Surv Ophthalmol. 1991 Nov-Dec;36(3):161–195. doi: 10.1016/0039-6257(91)90001-v. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Stevens R. G., Moolgavkar S. H. Malignant melanoma: dependence of site-specific risk on age. Am J Epidemiol. 1984 Jun;119(6):890–895. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a113811. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Templeton A. C. Tumors of the eye and adnexa in Africans of Uganda. Cancer. 1967 Oct;20(10):1689–1698. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(196710)20:10<1689::aid-cncr2820201019>3.0.co;2-f. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Templeton A. C. Tumors of the eye and adnexa in Africans of Uganda. Cancer. 1967 Oct;20(10):1689–1698. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(196710)20:10<1689::aid-cncr2820201019>3.0.co;2-f. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Tucker M. A., Shields J. A., Hartge P., Augsburger J., Hoover R. N., Fraumeni J. F., Jr Sunlight exposure as risk factor for intraocular malignant melanoma. N Engl J Med. 1985 Sep 26;313(13):789–792. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198509263131305. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Yanoff M., Zimmerman L. E. Histogenesis of malignant melanomas of the uvea. II. Relationship of uveal nevi to malignant melanomas. Cancer. 1967 Apr;20(4):493–507. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(1967)20:4<493::aid-cncr2820200406>3.0.co;2-u. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of the National Medical Association are provided here courtesy of National Medical Association

RESOURCES