Since 1948 the Stanford Eye Pathology Laboratory has collected 21 cases of malignant melanoma of the iris. The longest follow-up is now nine years, and 12 cases have been followed at least five years. Current reports are available on 19 patients and indicate that all are living, with no evidence of recurrence or metastatic involvement.
There are certain questions which arise in studying these tumors. The problems of diagnosis and classification of iris melanoma are not as well worked out as for choroidal melanoma. Even the matter of what shall be called "melanoma" and when to use the terms "benign" and "malignant" are often subjects for considerable debate. A discussion of diagnosis, management, and histological classification based on the clinical and microscopic study of this series is presented.
The clinical behavior of malignant melanoma of the iris may be characterized by measurable growth, darkening of previously existing pigmented lesions or