Abstract
Purpose: :
to present a new classification of iris tumors according to their histopathology.
Methods: :
a total of 198 pigmented lesions of the iris were studied from 1990 to 2005: 55 of them were surgically excised . Two cases were of uncertain evolution, four were melanocytomas and one was termed melanocytic–dysplastic cellular nevus. The samples were fixed in formaldehyde and studied with hematoxylin & eosin, cytokeratins, S–100, vimentin, HMB–45, and Melan A.
Results: :
of the total of surgically excised tumors, 17 were melanoma, 37 were melanocytic nevus and one was named melanocytic–dysplastic cellular nevus, due to its unusual characteristics (focal melanocytic atypia, fibroplasia, and location in the anterior mesodermal layer), and its similarity with the skin melanocytic lesions.
Conclusions: :
We found melanocytic tumors of the iris that present intermediate characteristics between nevus and melanomas. We propose a classification that includes borderline cases of the dysplastic melanocytic nevus type.
Keywords: melanoma • iris • tumors