Metastatic choroid melanoma is a highly malignant disease with a limited life expectancy. The liver is the most common site for metastasis of uveal melanoma followed by lung, bone, skin, and subcutaneous tissue. Metastasis from choroidal melanoma usually occurs within the first five years of treatment for primary tumours. Metastatic choroid melanoma to the spine/vertebrae is extremely rare. We report the first case of spinal metastasis from choroid melanoma in a 61-year-old man who had been treated for primary ocular melanoma three years earlier with radioactive plaque brachytherapy. Synchronously, at the time of metastasis, he was also diagnosed as having a new primary lung adenocarcinoma as well. The only other case reported on vertebral metastasis from malignant melanoma of choroid in literature in which primary choroid melanoma was enucleated.

Objective:To assess the efficacy of a peripheral smear examination as a screening tool for β-thalassemia trait.Materials and Methods:17 623 Leishman-stained peripheral smears were evaluated during the period from July 2006 to September 2007. The following parameters were studied: hemoglobin, red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and red cell distribution width. All the cases that showed microcytosis, hypochromia, erythrocytosis and absence of anisopoikilocytosis were suspected of having the thalassemia trait (TT), and all these cases were further evaluated with Alkaline Hemoglobin Electrophoresis for confirmation.Results:Of the 17 623 smears examined, 60 cases were considered suspicious of having TT. Alkaline hemoglobin electrophoresis carried out on all these cases revealed an elevated HbA2 (Mean = 7.5%). Five cases evaluated were found to have other hemoglobinopathies (1 Sickle cell trait, 3 Hb-E, 1 thalassemia intermedia).Conclusion:Careful screening of peripheral smear is an invaluable screening tool for thalassemia trait (PPV - 95%). There must be awareness among the peripheral centers about the importance of peripheral smear screening and the affected persons should be counseled.

Abstract:Malignant melanoma is a common malignancy in Western population especially in light skinned people although it is relatively uncommon in India. Pleural effusion is an unusual presentation of malignant melanoma. We present the case of a 45 year old patient who presented with chest pain and dyspnea. Computed tomography scan of chest revealed bilateral pleural effusion. Cytological examination of pleural fluid was found to contain malignant epithelial cells. Fine needle aspiration cytology of ulcero-proliferative lesion in left sole was suggestive of malignant melanoma. The patient was treated with chemical pleurodesis but he succumbed to progressive disease after six months.