Melanocytoma

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Classification according to ICD-10
D31.4 Benign neoplasm: ciliary body
D32 Benign neoplasm of the meninges
ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019)

A melanocytoma, also known as a magnocellular nevus , is a relatively rare benign tumor that can occur mainly in the area of ​​the eye , but also in the meninges . In the English-language specialist literature, the name is melanocytoma .

Etiology and epidemiology

The cause of melanocytoma is unknown. The tumors presumably develop from uveal or leptomeningeal melanocytes . Melanocytomas are rather rare and are mainly found in middle-aged dark-skinned female patients. Melanocytomas may be congenital.

Pathology and diagnostics

Histopathology of the melanocytoma with melanin-laden tumor cells (brown). Hematoxylin-eosin stain .

Melanocytomas are deep black tumors. They consist of magnocellular nevus cells ; large cytoplasmic cells with maximum pigmentation. After depigmentation , you can see small, uniform cell nuclei. The cells proliferate normally, the tumor grows only rarely and then very slowly. In the area of ​​the eye, melanocytomas usually only occur in one eye ( unilateral ); bilateral melanocytomas have also been described in individual cases. Here melanocytomas must be differentiated from the choroidal nevus , the malignant choroidal melanoma (malignant uveal melanoma) and the melanocytic nevi .

Therapy and prognosis

Melanocytoma is usually not treated. Occasional observation is sufficient to rule out malignant melanoma. A melanocytoma itself only very rarely turns into a malignant tumor.

Veterinary medicine

Melanocytomas can also be seen in various small animals, such as dogs .

further reading

  • AJ Augustin: Intraocular Tumors. Verlag Springer, 2007, p. 477. ISBN 3-540-30454-1
  • R. Caruso et al .: Intramedullary melanocytoma: case report and review of literature. In: Tumori 95, 2009, pp. 389-393. PMID 19688984 (Review)
  • DD Esmaili et al .: Ocular melanocytoma. In: Int Ophthalmol Clin 49, 2009, pp. 165-175. PMID 19125075 (Review)
  • P. Quatresooz et al .: Highlighting the immunohistochemical profile of melanocytomas: review. In: Oncol Rep 19, 2008, pp. 1367-1372. PMID 18497938 (Review)
  • JA Shields et al: Melanocytoma of the optic disk: a review. In: Surv Ophthalmol 51, 2006, pp. 93-104. PMID 16500211 (Review)
  • H. Demirci et al .: Iris melanocytoma: clinical features and natural course in 47 cases. In: Am J Ophthalmol 139, 2005, pp. 468-475. PMID 15767055 (Review)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Schindler CU, Kuchelmeister K, Richter HP, Schachenmayr W: The meningeal melanocytoma . In: Pathologist . 19, No. 4, July 1998, pp. 325-9. PMID 9746920 .
  2. ↑ a b c J. M. Rohrbach et al.: Tumors of the eye and its adnexa. Schattauer Verlag, 1998, pp. 163-164. ISBN 3-7945-1807-1 limited preview in Google Book search
  3. ↑ Demirci H, Shields CL, Shields JA: Bilateral optic disk melanocytoma in a 10-month-old infant . In: Am. J. Ophthalmol. . 136, No. 1, July 2003, pp. 190-2. PMID 12834694 .
  4. ^ F. Wang et al.: Malignant transformation of spinal meningeal melanocytoma. Case report and review of the literature. In: Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine 6, 2007, pp. 451-454. PMID 17542513 (Review).
  5. ↑ PM Sharma et al.: Malignant transformation of optic disc melanocytoma? A clinical dilemma at presentation with a review of the literature. In: Ophthalmologica 216, 2002, pp. 292-295. PMID 12207136 (Review).
  6. ↑ AL Martens: Unusual presentation of an anterior uveal melanocytoma in a 3-year-old poodle. In: The Canadian veterinary journal. Volume 48, Number 7, July 2007, pp. 748-750, PMID 17824163 , PMC 1899854 (free full text).