PURPOSE:To evaluate the value of the apoptosis-suppressing oncogene bcl-2 protein expression in the development and progression of uveal and conjunctival melanomas. METHODS:Using flow cytometry and immunofluorescence methods to detect the bcl-2 protein expression in 40 cases of uveal malignant melanomas (UMM), 5 cases of conjunctival nevi (CN) and 7 cases of conjunctival malignant melanomas (CMM). RESULTS :The expression content of bcl-2 protein in CMM was significantly higher than that in CN (P＜0.05);the bcl-2 protein positive expression percentages in CMM and UMM were 85.71% and 72.50% respectively. The expression content of bcl-2 protein in UMM was not related to pathological classfication, scleral invasion,ciliary body involvement,and tumor dimensions (P＞0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The over-expression of bcl-2 protein and apoptosis suppressing might be related to the pathogenesis of CMM and UMM;bcl-2 protein expression might be helpful in discriminating CN from CMM, but unavailable in evaluating the patholgical malignancy of UMM. （Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,1997,13: 73-74 ）