A series of choroidal melanoma in young patients: insights from a tertiary care facility

Abstract

Choroidal melanoma is rare in young individuals and often presents at a later stage due to low clinical suspicion. This case series describes a group of young patients, all under the age of 30 years, who presented with advanced choroidal melanoma requiring enucleation. A prospective observational study was conducted from January 2019 to December 2023 at a tertiary care center. Twelve young patients diagnosed with choroidal melanoma were assessed. Patient’s demography, clinical presentation, tumor characteristics and histopathological findings were noted. Histopathologically tumors were classified as epithelioid, mixed and spindle cell type. The treatment protocol was devised based on the size, extent of the lesion and any involvement of systemic system. There were 10 females and 02 males. The mean age of patients in the current study was 23±3.5 years. Right eye was involved in 05 patients and left eye was involved in 07 patients. All patients had advanced choroidal melanoma at the time of presentation at our center. The mean basal diameter of the tumor was 21±2 mm and thickness were 11±1.5 mm. Primary enucleation with implant was the most common treatment modality in all patients. Epithelioid cell type choroidal melanoma was the commonest histology pattern was found in the current study. No mortality or death occurred at the end of 02 years follow-up in any patient. This series highlights the aggressive nature of choroidal melanoma in young individuals when diagnosed at an advanced stage. It emphasizes the importance of early clinical suspicion, timely referral, and appropriate imaging in any atypical choroidal lesion in the young population.