Pleomorphic adenocarcinoma of the ciliary epithelium: a clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural, DNA-ploidy and comparative genomic hybridization analysis of an unusual case.

PURPOSE: To describe detailed phenotypic and genotypic analysis of a pleomorphic adenocarcinoma of the ciliary epithelium (CE).

CASE REPORT: An 86-year-old white woman developed an enlarging mass protruding from her previously eviscerated left eye 2 months postoperatively. Based on light and ultrastructural microscopy, the final diagnosis was a pleomorphic adenocarcinoma of the ciliary epithelium (CE).

DISCUSSION: Cell proliferation indices confirmed the unusually rapid growth rate of this tumor; the peridiploid DNA content might explain the relatively low incidence of distant metastases. An imbalance of the chromosome 6 was also found by Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH).