Nuclear Pseudoinclusions and Intranuclear Grooves Have an Important Impact on the Long-term Survival of Patients With Uveal Melanoma

Abstract

Aim: The evaluation of the prognostic role of nuclear pseudoinclusions (NPIs) and nuclear grooves (NGs) in UM.

Patients and methods: We examined the presence of NPIs and NGs in hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections from 164 removed eyeballs with uveal melanoma (UM) and analyzed statistical relationships with clinical and pathological parameters and the long-term survival rate.

Results: We observed NPIs in 38% and NG in 21% of all UM. The presence of NPIs was significantly positively correlated with epithelioid type, marked pleomorphism, and the presence of multinucleated giant cells, macro-nucleoli and multiple nucleoli. Patients with UM with NPIs had a significantly reduced overall survival rate (p<0.0001). The presence of NGs was significantly inversely correlated with marked pleomorphism, and the presence of multinucleated giant cells, macro-nucleoli and multiple nucleoli. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated significantly better overall (p<0.01) and disease-free (p<0.05) survival rates for patients with NGs.

Conclusion: The obtained results suggest that the presence of NGs in UM is associated with a better prognosis, as opposed to the presence of NPIs, which means the prognosis is worse.

Keywords: Nuclear grooves; nuclear inclusions; uveal melanoma.