Solar (actinic) prurigo (SP) is an abnormal reaction to sunlight that affects mostly the Indian and mestizo populations of America, and is well known in Canada and the United States. It is quite common in Mexico, Central, and South America, although rare in Europe. It usually starts in childhood in both sexes and in about 30-50% of cases involves the oral and ocular mucosa. In this study we present the clinical and histopathologic conjunctival findings in 11 of 105 children with SP. Clinically the most important features were photophobia, some degree of pterygium, and pinguecula, hyperemia, Trantas' dots, hyaline exudate, and follicles. Histopathologically the changes were epithelial, such as epidermoid metaplasia and absence of goblet cells, and stromal changes, which were the most diagnostically relevant. These consisted of lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrates, usually with eosinophils, melanosis, and solar elastosis. We believe this constellation of criteria will be useful for a better characterization of SP.
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults. The majority of the patients are Caucasian (97.8%) and aged 50-80 years. Choroidal melanoma is the predominant type (86.3%). The clinical presentation may range from no symptoms over various types of visual disturbances to visual loss. Examination includes slit-lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy and diagnostic testing, such as B-scan ultrasonography. A number of patients with posterior UM are treated with plaque radiation therapy or enucleation. At present, targeted therapy includes inhibitors of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase signaling pathway. UM disseminates hematogenously, with a high propensity for metastasis to the liver, which the most common site (93% of the cases). While UM is uncommon, a significant proportion of affected patients succumb to this disease and new treatment options to improve patient survival are required.
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