Abstract
Purpose::
To investigate the utility of intra-operative fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) at the time of Iodine-125 plaque placement for choroidal melanoma as a source of material for histopathologic and cytogenetic studies.
Methods::
Twenty-one consecutive eyes (21 patients) with a clinical diagnosis of choroidal melanoma had intra-operative transscleral FNAB prior to plaque placement. In each eye, a mean of 5 (range 3 to 7) samples were obtained via a 30 gauge needle and immediately processed. Biopsy material was allocated for (1) histopathologic processing and intra-operative diagnosis, (2) monosomy 3 testing, (3) cell culture for propagation, and (4) DNA and RNA analyses.
Results::
In 21 eyes, adequate material for a pathologic diagnosis of choroidal melanoma was obtained in 16 (76%) of the cases. Cytogenetic testing was possible in 15 (71%) of the cases and a finding of monosomy 3 occurred in 3 (20%) of the cases scored. Viable cell culture was achieved in 12 (57%) of the cases. Genomic DNA and total RNA were recovered in 13 (62%) of the cases with yields ranging from 720 ng to 3340 ng and 335 ng to 1750 ng, respectively.
Conclusions::
FNAB at the time of plaque placement may provide sufficient material for histopathologic diagnosis, cytogenetic testing, cell culture and nucleic acid studies.
Clinical Trial::
www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00344799
Keywords: melanoma • choroid • tumors