RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Balloon cell malignant melanoma of the choroid: ultrastructural studies.
JF British Journal of Ophthalmology
JO Br J Ophthalmol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
SP 579
OP 584
DO 10.1136/bjo.67.9.579
VO 67
IS 9
A1 M K Khalil
YR 1983
UL http://bjo.bmj.com/content/67/9/579.abstract
AB I reported the clinical, pathological, and ultrastructural findings in 2 cases of balloon cell malignant melanoma of the choroid. Degradation of the melanosomes of the tumour cells appeared to be the primary biological disturbance in the cell organelles, followed by secondary increase in intracellular lipid secretion and accumulation, leading ultimately to the formation of the balloon cells. Despite the fact that balloon cells are indicative of degeneracy and impending necrosis of the tumour cells, metastases were present in both cases. One of the conclusions this article provides is that the presence of balloon cells does not alter the prognosis of malignant melanomas of the choroid.