Incidence and clinical characteristics of symptomatic choroidal metastasis from lung cancer

Purpose: To determine the clinical characteristics of symptomatic choroidal metastasis (CM) resulting from metastatic lung cancer. Methods: Twenty‐two consecutive patients with symptomatic CM resulting from lung cancer were retrospectively reviewed for ocular findings, medical history and systemic disease. All patients underwent a complete screening for further organ metastasis by computed tomography (CT) and bone scintigraphy. Annual frequency of CM was determined and compared with the incidence predicted from ocular screening studies. Results: In eight of 22 (36%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 17–59) patients, lung cancer had been diagnosed before occurrence of CM, with a median interval of 13 months. In 14 patients lung cancer was detected after diagnosis of CM, with a median interval of 1 month. Choroidal metastasis was unilateral, solitary and located close to or at the posterior pole in the majority of patients. Further organ metastasis with a median number of three affected organ systems was present in 19 (86%; 95% CI 65–97) patients. Median survival after diagnosis of symptomatic CM was 13 months, by contrast with 2 months in lung cancer patients with CM identified in an ocular screening study. The mean number of patients in Berlin diagnosed with symptomatic CM was 1.4 per year, which was two orders of magnitude less than predicted from screening studies. Conclusions: Symptomatic choroidal lung cancer metastasis in the majority of patients presents as a solitary tumour before diagnosis of lung cancer in patients with multiple organ systems affected by metastatic disease. Contrary to predictions from ocular screening studies, it is a rare clinical entity.     

Incidence and clinical characteristics of symptomatic choroidal metastasis from breast cancer

PURPOSE: To determine the clinical incidence and characteristics of symptomatic choroidal metastasis (CM) in breast cancer. METHODS: Forty-six consecutive patients with CM from breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed in respect of ocular findings, medical history and systemic disease. Clinical incidence of CM was determined and compared with the incidence predicted from prevalence data obtained in ocular screening studies. RESULTS: Choroidal metastasis occurred with a median interval of 42.4 months after diagnosis of breast cancer and was predominantly unilateral (63% patients) and solitary (57% affected eyes). A total of 32% of patients had no history of metastatic tumour disease, but systemic screening with CT and scintigraphy revealed metastatic disease in 100% of patients. A median number of three other organs were affected by metastasis. Median survival from diagnosis of CM was 13.1 months. The mean number of local patients diagnosed with CM was 2.9 per year, which was one order of magnitude less than predicted from clinical screening studies. CONCLUSIONS: Choroidal metastasis occurs in advanced metastatic breast cancer, indicating a grave vital prognosis. In a minority of patients (32%) it is the first sign of metastatic disease. The clinical incidence of CM is far smaller than predicted from prevalence data obtained from ocular screening studies.     

Choroidal metastasis: case reports and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Choroidal metastases are recognized as the most common intraocular malignancy. Their diagnosis has become more common due to increased emphasis on comprehensive eye examinations for cancer patients and the improved life expectancy of patients with metastatic disease. They are most prevalent in female patients with breast cancer and male patients with lung cancer. METHODS: A thorough fundus examination, coupled with the use of A-scan and B-scan ultrasonography, will aid in their diagnosis. There are many ways of treating these tumors, including radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and monitoring. CASE REPORTS: Two case reports of patients diagnosed with choroidal metastases are discussed. Case 1 involved a patient with lung cancer who manifested a large bullous exudative retinal detachment due to an underlying choroidal metastasis. Case 2 dealt with treatment of a patient with metastatic transitional cell cancer who manifested a shallow exudative retinal detachment caused by a choroidal metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Due to progress of chemotherapeutic medications, the number of patients who manifest choroidal metastases will continue to increase. It is essential for the practitioner to be able to recognize this disease process to prevent visual loss and institute referral for proper treatment for metastatic disease.     

Frequency of asymptomatic choroidal metastasis in patients with disseminated breast cancer: results of a prospective screening programme

AIM—To determine the frequency of visually asymptomatic choroidal metastasis in patients with disseminated breast cancer and its dependence on the incidence of metastasis by number and site of other organ metastases.
METHODS—From January 1995 until April 1997 120 patients irradiated for disseminated breast cancer underwent ophthalmological screening for choroidal metastasis. No patient was symptomatic for ocular disease. 68 out of 120 patients were found to have metastases in one organ and 52 patients had metastases in more than one organ. 80% of the patients had bone metastases, 25% lung metastases, 22% liver metastases, 15% brain metastases, and 22% had metastases in other organs.
RESULTS—Six patients (5%) were found to have asymptomatic choroidal metastases. Five patients had unilateral and one patient bilateral metastases. 52 patients with more than one involved organ had a significantly higher risk for asymptomatic choroidal metastasis (6/52, 11%) than 68 patients with metastases in only one organ (0/68) (p=0.006). In univariate analysis a significantly higher risk was seen for patients with lung metastases (14% choroidal metastases versus 2% in patients without lung metastases, p=0.03) and for patients with brain metastases (17% choroidal metastases versus 3% in those without brain metastases, p=0.04).
CONCLUSION—In disseminated breast cancer the incidence of asymptomatic choroidal metastases was 5% and increased to 11% when more than one organ was involved in metastatic spread. Risk factors for choroidal metastases were dissemination of disease in more than one organ and the presence of lung and brain metastases.

Keywords: choroidal metastasis; breast cancer; screening programme     

Choroidal metastasis in men with metastatic breast cancer.

PURPOSE: To report two cases of choroidal metastasis in metastatic breast cancer in men. METHOD: Case reports of a 50-year-old man with an 8-year history of breast cancer who was initially examined with a solitary amelanotic choroidal tumor and a 62-year-old man with an 8-month history of breast cancer who was initially examined with numerous unilateral amelanotic choroidal tumors. RESULTS: Ophthalmoscopic and echographic characteristics of the choroidal tumors were typical for breast cancer metastasis. Systemic screening disclosed advanced metastatic disease in both patients. Choroidal metastasis could be effectively treated by external beam irradiation. CONCLUSIONS: Although breast cancer is a rare condition in men, it should be considered as a possible primary cancer in cases of choroidal metastasis.     

Decreased prevalence of asymptomatic choroidal metastasis in disseminated breast and lung cancer: argument against screening

AIM: To determine the frequency of visually asymptomatic choroidal metastases in patients with disseminated breast and lung carcinomas in order to establish optimal patient management policies. METHODS: All patients with confirmed metastatic disease treated in our institution between January 2002 and December 2003 were invited to undergo a funduscopic examination and a B-scan ultrasound evaluation. RESULTS: Of the 169 study participants, 77 had breast cancer (64 with metastases in one organ and 13 with multiple-organ involvement) and 92 had lung cancer (85 with metastases in one organ and 7 with multiple-organ involvement). No patient with metastatic breast cancer and two patients with metastatic lung disease (each with multiple-organ involvement) were found to have choroidal metastases. The choroidal metastases were detected by both the funduscopic and ultrasound examinations. CONCLUSIONS: The 2.17% incidence of choroidal metastasis in disseminated lung cancer and the 0% incidence in disseminated breast cancer speaks against the practicality of screening for early detection of choroidal metastasis among these patients, even though it would lead to early implementation of appropriate, often vision saving, therapeutic management. Its low incidence probably testifies to progress achieved by enhanced systemic oncological treatment policies that have been introduced into routine patient management over the past few years.     

脉络膜转移癌的眼底表现

目的探讨脉络膜转移癌眼底表现的特点及原发癌的病理分型和预后。方法应用回顾性系列病例研究方法。分析16例20眼脉络膜转移癌患者的临床资料。眼部检查包括视力、眼前节、散瞳眼底、B型超声、彩色眼底照相和荧光素眼底血管造影（FFA）检查。全身检查包括肿瘤标记物筛查,支气管活检,头部、胸部和腹部影像学检查及全身骨扫描等。结果 16例患者中男6例,女10例;年龄31～72岁,平均年龄50.9岁;随诊1～60个月,平均12.6个月。双眼患者4例;单眼患者12例,其中右眼8例,左眼4例。首诊于眼科者9例,其中8例原发癌为肺癌,1例乳腺癌为原发癌。初诊视力：光感者2眼,手动/眼前～0.1者4眼,0.2～0.5者6眼,0.6～1.0者5眼,〉1.0者3眼。裂隙灯显微镜检查：15眼眼前节正常,5眼有继发性青光眼。散瞳眼底检查：19眼可见视网膜下黄白色、扁平隆起的实性肿物,12眼伴有不同程度的渗出性视网膜脱离。B型超声检查结果显示,20眼均为脉络膜实性占位性病变。FFA可见早期脉络膜肿物遮挡背景荧光,晚期可见融合成斑驳样的高荧光。原发癌为肺癌者10例,乳腺癌者4例,直肠腺癌者1例,子宫颈鳞癌者1例。结论脉络膜转移癌眼底表现的特点是视网膜下实性肿物,常伴有渗出性视网膜脱离,可继发青光眼。原发癌病理分型以肺腺癌为主,乳腺癌次之。     

脉络膜转移癌临床特征的分析

目的 研究脉络膜转移癌的临床特征,以便早期诊断及与其他脉络膜肿瘤进行鉴别诊断.方法 本研究为回顾性系列病例研究.通过病历,收集患者视力检查、裂隙灯显微镜眼前节检查、问接检眼镜眼底检查、荧光素眼底血管造影(FFA)、吲哚氰绿血管造影(ICGA)、相干光断层扫描(OCT)及A超和B超扫描、磁共振(URI)以及胸部CT检查等资料.结果 共5例(9只眼)脉络膜转移癌,单眼1例,双眼4例.男性1例,女性4例;年龄31～56岁,中位数年龄45岁.症状:视力减退4例,视物变形1例.眼部检查:视力≤0.05且<0.3者4只眼;≤0.3且<0.7者2只眼;≥0.7者3只眼.原发癌来自肺癌者3例,乳腺癌1例,胃癌1例.肿瘤转移至眼的时间:2例为眼科首诊发现,3例分别为1年半、4年及5年.眼底特征:脉络膜转移癌表现为黄白色扁平形隆起者比球形隆起更多见,或伴斑驳样色素沉着及视网膜下液体或视网膜脱离.转移癌位于黄斑部和近视乳头者共6只眼,黄斑和赤道部之间3只眼.孤立转移灶5只眼,多个转移灶4只眼.FFA表现为瘤体呈现斑驳样强荧光,晚期有荧光素渗漏.ICGA表现为遮蔽荧光和弱荧光.A超扫描显示转移灶呈现中等不规则内反射.B超扫描显示扁平实质性隆起.眼部MRI显示肿瘤处表现为中等短T1W和短T2W信号.血清肿瘤标志物增高:3例癌抗原分别为16.28 μg/L、4.95μ/L、癌抗原125增高为160.50 kU/L.结论 脉络膜是最常发生转移癌的部位.脉络膜转移癌可发生在原发癌诊断之前,当患者眼底有黄白色扁平形隆起病灶时,尤其是双眼有病灶者,眼A、B超扫描、胸部CT及癌抗原检查以排除来自肺和乳腺的原发癌是很重要的.     

Metastatic tumors of the uvea in 38 eyes

BACKGROUND: The reported incidence of metastatic uveal tumors has been increasing. The aim of this study is to report the clinical features, management, and prognosis of uveal metastatic tumors seen in a general oncology hospital. METHODS: The records of 28 patients with uveal metastasis diagnosed between 1999 and 2006 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Uveal metastatic tumours were detected in a total of 38 eyes, uveal involvement included the iris in 4 eyes and the choroid in 37 eyes. Ten patients (35.7%) had bilateral uveal involvement. The primary cancer site was the breast in 24 patients, the lung in 2 patients, the ovary in 1 patient, and the gastrointestinal tract in 1 patient. While the most common symptom was blurred vision, 14.2% of patients were asymptomatic. Choroidal metastases typically were creamy yellow in color, plateau or dome-shaped, and associated with secondary retinal detachment in 56.8% of eyes. The mean time interval between ocular and systemic diagnosis was 41.07 months. At the time of ocular diagnosis, 75% of patients had systemic metastasis. Eight eyes were treated with chemotherapy and hormone therapy, and external beam radiotherapy was applied to 30 eyes. Lesions commonly responded well to therapy, but 22 patients died as a result of disseminated systemic disease. INTERPRETATION: Patients with uveal metastasis generally present to ophthalmologists with visual symptoms but may be asymptomatic in some cases. Local tumor control can be managed with current therapy, but systemic prognosis is generally poor because of the disseminated stage of the malignant disease.     

脉络膜黑色素瘤的研究进展

脉络膜黑色素瘤(choroidal melanoma,CM)是葡萄膜恶性肿瘤中的最多的一种,也是成年人较常见的眼内恶性肿瘤,其患病率在我国居眼内恶性肿瘤的第二位,仅次于视网膜母细胞瘤.本文就近年来脉络膜黑色素瘤的病理特征、发病机制、影像检查及治疗研究进展予以综述.     

Ocular metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma with ELM4-ALK translocation: A case report with a review of the literature

Choroidal metastasis is the most common intraocular neoplasm and is associated with significant morbidity. In a small percentage of patients, ocular manifestation may be the initial presentation of a systemic malignancy and can be diagnostically difficult to distinguish from ocular primary malignancies. Herein, we present a case of a never-smoker whose ocular pathology was integral to the diagnosis and management of a lung adenocarcinoma harboring a rare oncogene. Through this case, we have explored important diagnostic and therapeutic considerations of pulmonary metastases to the choroid.     

Clinical Features of Choroidal Metastases from Carcinoid Tumour

Thechoroidalmetastasesfromthecarcinoidtumorintheclinicalpracticearenotuncom鄄mon,butfewhavebeenreported.Inthisstudy,wegiveophthalmologicexaminationsandFFAto30patientswithcarcinoidtumorinourhospitalandfound4casessufferedfromchoroidalmetastases.Theirclinicalfeatureswereanalyzedandreportedinthispaper.MaterialsandMethods1.GeneraldataThirtypatientswithcarcinoidtumorinourhospitalwereexaminedbyophthalmologist,ophthalmologicexaminationincludingvisualacuity,visualfield,slitlampforanteriorseg鄄ment,di…     

Metastatic tumours to the conjunctiva: report of 10 cases.

AIMS/BACKGROUND: Ten patients with metastatic tumours to the conjunctiva and the clinical aspects of this rare form of ocular metastasis are described in this study. METHOD: All patients with ocular and adnexal metastatic tumours referred to an ocular oncology service were reviewed and those having conjunctival metastases were studied for the site of their primary tumour, clinical features, and treatment of the conjunctival tumour, associated ocular and systemic findings, and the patients' outcome. RESULTS: The primary malignancy was carcinoma of the breast in four, lung cancer in two, laryngeal carcinoma in one, cutaneous melanoma in two, and unknown in one patient. The conjunctival metastases appeared after the primary tumour over a mean period of 44 (8-130) months. They were solitary in eight cases, located in bulbar conjunctiva in six, palpebral conjunctiva in two, and in limbus and forniceal conjunctiva in one patient each. The tumour was yellow in colour in seven patients, red in two, and brown in one. Eight patients also had metastases to other ocular structures. Seven patients received external beam radiotherapy to the affected eye, two were managed by excisional biopsy, and one with chemotherapy. The mean survival after the diagnosis of conjunctival metastasis was nine (range 2-26) months. CONCLUSION: Metastatic tumours to the conjunctiva appear at an advanced stage of the systemic disease when there are other ocular and organ metastases. The presence of a conjunctival mass in a patient with a prior systemic cancer should alert the ophthalmologist to the possibility of a conjunctival metastasis and evaluation should be pursued.     

脉络膜黑色素瘤的治疗进展

脉络膜黑色素瘤（choroidal melanoma,CM）是成年人眼球最常见的眼内恶性肿瘤。CM恶性程度高、发生转移早、预后差,早期诊断及选择合理治疗方式对改善患者的预后至关重要。近年来,眼球摘除术作为治疗CM的传统方法已受到挑战。针对不同部位和大小的肿瘤及患者具体情况采取不同的疗法或联合治疗已成为CM的治疗原则。本文就CM的治疗进展进行综述,为降低转移率和死亡率提供相关依据。     

Whole body positron emission tomography/computed tomography staging of metastatic choroidal melanoma

PURPOSE: To evaluate whole-body positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography in staging of patients with metastatic choroidal melanoma. DESIGN: Interventional non-randomized clinical study. METHODS: Twenty patients were referred for whole-body 18-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) PET/computed tomography imaging because of suspected metastatic choroidal melanoma. PET/computed tomography images were studied for the presence and distribution of metastatic melanoma. Subsequent biopsies were performed to confirm the presence of metastatic disease. RESULTS: Twenty patients underwent PET/computed tomography. Eighteen were imaged because of abnormal clinical, hematologic, or radiographic screening studies during the course of their follow-up after plaque brachytherapy or enucleation. Two were imaged before treatment of their primary tumor. PET/computed tomography revealed or confirmed metastatic melanoma in eight (40%) of these 20 patients. The mean time from initial diagnosis to metastasis was 47 months (range 0 to 154). The most common sites for metastases were the liver (100%), bone (50%), lung (25%), lymph nodes (25%), and subcutaneous tissue (25%). Cardiac, brain, thyroid, and posterior abdominal wall lesions (12.5%) were also noted. Six patients (75%) had multiple organ involvement. No false positives were noted. PET/computed tomography imaging also detected benign lesions of the bone and lymph nodes in three patients (15%). All patients had hepatic metastases and liver enzyme assays were abnormal in only one (12.5%) of eight patients. CONCLUSIONS: PET/computed tomography imaging is a sensitive tool for the detection and localization of hepatic and extra-hepatic (particularly osseous) metastatic choroidal melanoma.     

Neuroendocrine tumours metastatic to the uvea: diagnosis by fine needle aspiration biopsy

Background Uveal metastasis from a neuroendocrine tumour is rare and can simulate other primary or metastatic uveal tumours, both clinically and cytomorphologically. We describe four cases of uveal metastasis from a neuroendocrine tumour diagnosed by fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB).Methods Four patients were referred for evaluation of a recently detected fundus mass. Two patients had a history of malignant, non-ocular, neuroendocrine neoplasms (Merkel cell carcinoma and lung carcinoid in one patient each). The third patient had a mediastinal mass that had been biopsied inconclusively, while the last patient reported a persistent cough.Results Ophthalmic examination revealed an amelanotic ciliochoroidal mass in 2 cases and a lightly melanotic and a pale orange choroidal mass in 1 case each. Partial, non-rhegmatogenous, retinal detachment was present in 3 patients. Ocular ultrasonography revealed moderate to high internal reflectivity of the mass in 3 cases and low internal reflectivity in the 4th. Our differential diagnosis in all cases was metastatic carcinoma versus primary uveal melanoma. FNAB of the intraocular mass was performed in all patients to establish a pathologic diagnosis and guide subsequent management. Cytomorphology and immunohistochemical profiles of the aspirates were consistent with metastatic neuroendocrine neoplasms in all patients. Our final diagnosis was metastatic lung carcinoid in 2 patients and metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma and small cell lung carcinoma in 1 patient each. Immediately after FNAB, the intraocular tumour was treated by plaque radiotherapy (3 patients) or fractionated external beam radiotherapy (1 patient). All tumours treated regressed satisfactorily. Two patients expired due to widespread lung carcinoid 11 and 12 months after our initial evaluation respectively. The other two patients are still alive after 38 and 64 months respectively.Conclusions Neuroendocrine tumours are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms whose diagnosis ultimately depends on the identification of specific cell markers (e.g., neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin, synaptophysin), hormones and neurotransmitters (e.g., gastrin, serotonin, adrenocorticotrophic hormone [ACTH]). FNAB with immunohistochemical stains for neuroendocrine markers can establish a pathologic diagnosis in cases of uveal metastasis from a neuroendocrine tumour. To our knowledge, our patient with Merkel cell carcinoma is the first pathologically proven case of uveal metastasis from this primary malignancy.Meeting presentation: XXIVth Club Jules Gonin meeting, Athens, Greece, September 2004     

Emerging treatments for choroidal metastases

It has been over a century since Perls described the first case of choroidal metastasis. For the next six decades only 230 cases were described in the literature. Today, however, ocular metastasis is recognized as the most common intraocular malignancy. Thanks to recent advances in treatment options for metastatic disease, patients are living longer, and choroidal metastases will become an increasingly important issue for oncologists and ophthalmologists alike. We summarize the current knowledge of choroidal metastases and examine their emerging systemic and local therapies. Targeted therapies for metastatic lung, breast, and colon cancer—the most common causes of choroidal metastases—are reviewed in detail with the goal of identifying the most effective treatment strategies.     

Rapidly expanding exophthalmos: an unusual presentation of small cell lung cancer.

A 61-year-old male presented with a rapidly progressive exophthalmos from small cell lung cancer metastatic to the right orbit. His vision in that eye was 20/200, and his intraocular pressure was 36 mmHg. The orbital metastasis responded dramatically to chemotherapy. One week after starting the chemotherapy the patient did not have exophthalmos, his vision was 20/20, and three weeks later the intraocular pressure was 12 mmHg.     

脉络膜黑色素瘤治疗新进展

脉络膜黑色素瘤是成人常见的原发性眼内恶性肿瘤。在白人中最常见,通常发生于单眼,其发病率增长迅速,生存率低,因此其临床研究受到广泛重视。近年来,单纯手术摘除患眼作为治疗脉络膜黑色素瘤的传统方法已受到挑战。针对不同患者,不同部位和大小的肿瘤而采取不同的治疗方法或综合治疗是一发展趋势。如保留眼球和视力的定期观察,局部切除,放射治疗,光凝治疗,生物治疗,以及多种方法的联合治疗受到重视。     

Ocular manifestations of cancer

Cancer may affect the eye and orbit as a direct result of metastatic neoplastic infiltration, compression, or circulating antibodies involving paraneoplastic retinal degeneration. A metastatic tumor to the uvea is the most common form of an intraocular metastatic process. The choroid is the most common site for uveal metastasis; metastases to the ciliary body, iris, retina, optic disk, and vitreous are rare. Approximately one-third of patients have no history of primary cancer at the time of ocular diagnosis. Breast and lung carcinomas for women and lung and gastrointestinal carcinomas for men most commonly metastasize to the eye and orbit. The short-term prognosis for vision is usually good after an individualized therapeutic approach (chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, external beam radiotherapy, or plaque radiotherapy), but the systemic prognosis is poor. The visual paraneoplastic syndromes encompass several distinct clinical and pathological entities including carcinoma-associated retinopathy (CAR), melanoma-associated retinopathy (MAR), and bilateral diffuse melanocytic uveal proliferation (BDUMP). The CAR syndrome affects photoreceptors, MAR is thought to affect bipolar cell function, and BDUMP targets the uveal tract. Identification of circulating antibodies against retinal proteins (recovering, 23-kDa retinal protein; 46-kDa and 60-kDa retinal proteins) serves to recognize the paraneoplastic nature of the patient's symptoms, which frequently develop before the cancer is diagnosed. Anecdotal therapeutic responses are described after systemic steroids, immunoglobulin injection, and plasmapheresis. Recognition of their visual symptoms and ocular findings should alert the ophthalmologist to the possibility of cancer and systemic evaluation should be pursued.