Microcirculation architecture of metastases from primary ciliary body and choroidal melanomas.

PURPOSE: To describe the microcirculation architecture of metastatic choroidal and ciliary body melanoma.

METHOD: Histologic sections of 35 metastases from 19 primary melanomas were stained to demonstrate microcirculation.

RESULT: The appearance of microcirculatory networks in metastases is independent of the target organ but associated with the size of the metastatic deposit (estimated coefficient = 0.5959; SE = 0.3024; P = .0488).

CONCLUSION

The microcirculatory patterns of primary uveal melanomas that are associated with metastatic behavior appear in foci of metastasis, regardless of the site of dissemination.