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Racial Melanosis

MedGen UID:
1790578
•Concept ID:
C5552708
•
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: Benign Conjunctival Epithelial Melanosis; Complexion-Associated Melanosis; Conjunctival Hypermelanosis; Primary Conjunctival Hypermelanosis

Definition

A benign conjunctival finding noted especially among darker pigmented individuals. While it is typically found perilimbally and bilaterally, it can also cover the conjunctivae extensively and may present asymmetrically. The flat, non-cystic pigmentation may increase in size with age. It is rare to have this finding evolve into conjunctival melanoma. [from NCI]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVRacial Melanosis

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Melasma: treatment strategy.
Sehgal VN, Verma P, Srivastava G, Aggarwal AK, Verma S
J Cosmet Laser Ther 2011 Dec;13(6):265-79. doi: 10.3109/14764172.2011.630088. PMID: 21981383
Melasma in Latin America: options for therapy and treatment algorithm.
Cestari T, Arellano I, Hexsel D, Ortonne JP; Latin American Pigmentary Disorders Academy
J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2009 Jul;23(7):760-72. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2009.03251.x. PMID: 19646135
Pigmented lesions of the oral mucosa and perioral tissues: a flow-chart for the diagnosis and some recommendations for the management.
Meleti M, Vescovi P, Mooi WJ, van der Waal I
Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2008 May;105(5):606-16. Epub 2008 Feb 21 doi: 10.1016/j.tripleo.2007.07.047. PMID: 18206403

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Tumors of the conjunctiva and cornea.
Shields CL, Shields JA
Indian J Ophthalmol 2019 Dec;67(12):1930-1948. doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_2040_19. PMID: 31755426Free PMC Article
Multifocal blue nevus of the conjunctiva.
Berman EL, Shields CL, Sagoo MS, Eagle RC Jr, Shields JA
Surv Ophthalmol 2008 Jan-Feb;53(1):41-9. doi: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2007.10.009. PMID: 18191656
Melanocytoma of optic disc in 115 cases: the 2004 Samuel Johnson Memorial Lecture, part 1.
Shields JA, Demirci H, Mashayekhi A, Shields CL
Ophthalmology 2004 Sep;111(9):1739-46. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2004.02.016. PMID: 15350331
Tumors of the conjunctiva and cornea.
Shields CL, Shields JA
Surv Ophthalmol 2004 Jan-Feb;49(1):3-24. doi: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2003.10.008. PMID: 14711437
Differential immunoreactivity of melanocytic lesions of the conjunctiva.
Sharara NA, Alexander RA, Luthert PJ, Hungerford JL, Cree IA
Histopathology 2001 Oct;39(4):426-31. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2559.2001.01168.x. PMID: 11683945

Diagnosis

Clinical profile of melanocytic lesions of the ocular surface in a Hispanic population.
Garza-Garza LA, Ramos-Davila EM, Ruiz-Lozano RE, Gutierrez-Juarez K, Hernandez-Camarena JC
Int Ophthalmol 2022 Sep;42(9):2765-2772. Epub 2022 Apr 19 doi: 10.1007/s10792-022-02266-w. PMID: 35438422
Tumors of the conjunctiva and cornea.
Shields CL, Shields JA
Indian J Ophthalmol 2019 Dec;67(12):1930-1948. doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_2040_19. PMID: 31755426Free PMC Article
Melanocytoma of optic disc in 115 cases: the 2004 Samuel Johnson Memorial Lecture, part 1.
Shields JA, Demirci H, Mashayekhi A, Shields CL
Ophthalmology 2004 Sep;111(9):1739-46. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2004.02.016. PMID: 15350331
Tumors of the conjunctiva and cornea.
Shields CL, Shields JA
Surv Ophthalmol 2004 Jan-Feb;49(1):3-24. doi: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2003.10.008. PMID: 14711437
Conjunctival melanoma in the black population.
Singh AD, Campos OE, Rhatigan RM, Schulman JA, Misra RP
Surv Ophthalmol 1998 Sep-Oct;43(2):127-33. doi: 10.1016/s0039-6257(98)00020-4. PMID: 9763137

Prognosis

Multifocal blue nevus of the conjunctiva.
Berman EL, Shields CL, Sagoo MS, Eagle RC Jr, Shields JA
Surv Ophthalmol 2008 Jan-Feb;53(1):41-9. doi: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2007.10.009. PMID: 18191656
Melanocytoma of optic disc in 115 cases: the 2004 Samuel Johnson Memorial Lecture, part 1.
Shields JA, Demirci H, Mashayekhi A, Shields CL
Ophthalmology 2004 Sep;111(9):1739-46. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2004.02.016. PMID: 15350331

Clinical prediction guides

Clinical profile of melanocytic lesions of the ocular surface in a Hispanic population.
Garza-Garza LA, Ramos-Davila EM, Ruiz-Lozano RE, Gutierrez-Juarez K, Hernandez-Camarena JC
Int Ophthalmol 2022 Sep;42(9):2765-2772. Epub 2022 Apr 19 doi: 10.1007/s10792-022-02266-w. PMID: 35438422

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