SPONTANEOUS REGRESSION OF A MALIGNANT MELANOMA OF THE CHOROID

A 65‐year‐old man had for 12 years a lesion in the right eye, clinically atypical of a melanoma. The lesion and function of the eye was unchanged during the 12 years. Since a melanoma seemed clinically most probable the eyeball was enucleated. Histopathological examination revealed a choroidal lesion with incipient invasion of the sclera, abundant fibrosis, calcifications and scattered neoplastic melanocytes, confirmed by electron microscopy. There was no necrosis and no inflammatory reaction. The diagnosis and the cause of regression are discussed, and it is concluded that this case represents a true spontaneous regression of a primary malignant melanoma of the choroid.