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Br J Ophthalmol 2008;92:1545-1549 doi:10.1136/bjo.2007.129882
  • Innovations

Clinical mapping of conjunctival melanomas

  1. B Damato1,
  2. S E Coupland2
  1. 1
    Liverpool Ocular Oncology Centre, St Paul’s Eye Clinic, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, UK
  2. 2
    Departments of Pathology/Ophthalmology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
  1. Professor B Damato, Ocular Oncology Service, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot Street Liverpool L7 8XP, UK; bertil{at}damato.co.uk
  • Accepted 31 October 2007
  • Published Online First 31 July 2008

Abstract

Aim: To develop a system for clinically mapping conjunctival melanomas, taking into account the tumour’s stage of development, location and extent.

Methods: Baseline clinical features of 40 patients with conjunctival melanoma, first treated at our centre between 1993 and 2006, were studied. Maps showing sectorial location and circumferential spread in all areas of conjunctiva were digitally generated from numerical data.

Results: The patients (18 female; 22 male) had a median age of 59 years. Three had multiple tumours and 20 had mixed, invasive and intraepithelial disease. The Tumour Node and Metastasis (TNM) T stage was I in 11 patients, II in 20, III in eight and IV in one. The tumour was medial in 19% of eyes with T stages I and II as compared with 67% of eyes with stages III and IV (Mann–Whitney, <0.001). Within each T stage of the TNM system, there was considerable variation in tumour dimensions, circumferential spread and longitudinal extent.

Conclusions: A system for clinically mapping conjunctival tumour location and extent has been developed. This revealed tumour variation within TNM T stages and may facilitate better collection of data for multicentre trials.

Footnotes

  • Funding: The Ocular Oncology Service is funded by the National Commissioning Group of the National Health Service, which had no role in the design or conduct of the research.

  • Competing interests: None.

  • Patient consent: Obtained.

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