The Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS) group has identified 4 American Indian patients among the first 5987 patients with choroidal melanomas who were evaluated in COMS centers. To our knowledge, uveal melanomas have not been previously described in American Indians.1 Two full-blooded American Indian patients had darkly pigmented, large choroidal melanomas that required enucleation. Two patients with mixed ancestry received radiotherapy for medium-sized choroidal melanomas.
Report of Cases.
Case 1.
A 76-year-old, full-blooded American Indian man was examined to determine whether he had a choroidal melanoma. Ten months earlier, his visual acuity had abruptly decreased to 20/100 OD because of a submacular hemorrhagic mass. Enlargement of the mass, accompanied by extensive, pigmented vitreous cells, was noted 2 months earlier; a vitreous hemorrhage was diagnosed.Bronze skin and dark black hair were noted on external examination. No abnormal skin or episcleral pigment was noted. A 13.8-mm-thick, collar-button shaped, heavily pigmented