Patient survival, tumor lymphocytic infiltration and tumor necrosis were studied and evaluated in 43 enucleated eyes with the same histological diagnosis of spindle 'B' malignant melanoma of the choroid. A significant difference (P less than 0.05) was found between the survival rate of melanoma patients with no evidence of lymphocytic infiltration and/or necrosis in the tumor, compared to those with any evidence of of lymphocytic infiltration and/or tumor necrosis.