Conjunctival melanoma in a 55 year old male Nigerian: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Conjunctival melanoma is a rare occurrence in the Negroid race. PURPOSE: To report a case of a 55 year old security man with right conjunctival melanoma. METHOD: A 55 old man was operated on to remove a pigmented right bulbar conjuctival growth. The specimen was submitted to Lagos University Teaching Hospital Lagos and Harold Wood Hospital England for histopathologic examination and confirmation. RESULTS: Surgery was successful and histopathologic and immunohistochemical studies confirmed a diagnosis of a nodular malignant melanoma. CONCLUSION: The need for the provision of definitive investigative tool (immunohistochemical studies) to facilitate definitive diagnosis and management of such cases in some recognised centres in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised.