Tissue culture of human choroidal melanoma cells obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

The optimal treatment of choroidal melanoma is controversial. Many patients are now being treated with nonenucleation therapies. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of intraocular tumors may well prove to be safe; we used a needle biopsy technique on three freshly enucleated globes and established choroidal melanoma cell lines in culture from these specimens. This report describes our needle biopsy and tissue culture techniques.