Cutaneous melanoma-associated paraneoplastic retinopathy: histopathologic observations.

PURPOSE

To describe the retinal histopathology of paraneoplastic retinopathy associated with cutaneous melanoma.

METHODS

A 59-year-old man had visual loss attributable to paraneoplastic retinopathy and died of metastatic cutaneous melanoma. His eyes were studied by conventional histopathologic techniques.

RESULTS

Histopathologic examination of both eyes disclosed a marked reduction in the density of bipolar neurons in the inner nuclear layer; photoreceptor cell neurons in the outer nuclear layer were normal. Ganglion cells were present, although many showed evidence of transsynaptic atrophy.

CONCLUSION

The histopathologic changes observed are consistent with clinical, immunologic, and electrophysiologic data that implicate the bipolar cell as the major site of the paraneoplastic process in cutaneous melanoma-associated retinopathy.