Case Reports in Ophthalmological Medicine

Case Report

Presumed Retinal Metastasis from Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

Table 1

Review of cases with metastatic retinal cancer reported in the literature.
Author/yearSexAgePrimary tumorLocationPrimary tumor known at eye diagnosisThe onset of eye findings (mo)DiagnosisOther known systemic metastasisOcular treatmentFollow-upClinical signs/pathologic findings
1Arisawa, 1914 [12]
(cited by Kennedy et al., 1958 [20])		M30Pancreatic carcinomaDiffuseYesN/AAutopsy?N/AN/AN/AVitreous seeds, optic disc involvement
2Smoleroff and Agatston, 1934 [18]
(cited by Kennedy et al., 1958 [20])		M55Esophageal adenocarcinomaInferotemporal quadrantYesN/AAutopsyLiver, lung, adrenal gland, spineN/A1 mo, deceasedWhite irregular mass arising from nerve fiber layer, retinal and subretinal but no choroidal involvement
3Kennedy et al., 1958 [20]M51Rectosigmoid adenocarcinomaMaculaNo0EnucleationBrainEnucleation9 mo, deceasedGrayish white nodular lesion
4Duke and Walsh, 1959 [16]
(cited by Tang et al., 2019 [7])		F60Uterine adenocarcinomaMaculaYesN/AEnucleationBrainEnucleation6 mo, deceasedVitreous seeds, elevated white mass
5Koenig et al., 1960 [10]M56Undifferentiated bronchogenic carcinomaTemporal retinaNo0EnucleationN/AEnucleation13 mo, deceasedGranulomatous uveitis, vitreous floaters, white mass with neovascularization, retinal and subretinal exudation, choroidal seeding
6Flindall and Fleming, 1967 [25]M68Unknown primaryAnterior to equatorNoN/AEnucleationN/AEnucleation24 mo, aliveVitreous seeds, veil-like retinal exudates inferiorly, optic disc involvement
7Levy and de Venecia, 1970 [14]M49Oat cell carcinoma of lungPosterior poleYes10AutopsyWidespreadObservation10 mo, deceasedGross ophthalmic examination was normal; histopathology revealed anaplastic cells filling the lumens of retinal vessels, nerve fiber layer, and isolated choroid involvement
8Klein et al., 1977 [8]M52Squamous cell carcinoma of lungTemporal macula OD, ERD OSYesN/AAutopsyWidespreadObservation2 mo, deceasedWhite retinal infiltrate, retinal choroidal, and optic disc involvement
9Young et al., 1979 [26]M63Lung adenocarcinomaMaculaYes4VAB and autopsyBrain, boneExternal radiotherapy7 mo, deceasedPerivascular white infiltrates around optic disc, white macular mass
10Piro et al., 1982 [17]F56Breast carcinomaVitreous opacities OUNo0PPV and autopsy OD, autopsy OSNoObservation12 mo, deceasedUveitis, vitreous seeds, no retinal infiltration; histopathology showed solitary tumor cells in retina
11Eagle, 1988 [27]
(cited by Srivastava and Bergstrom, 2013 [28])		F53Unknown primaryMaculaNo0VAB, retinal and choroidal biopsyBrain, lungN/A5 mo, deceasedVitreous balls, white macular lesions with satellites, and vascular sheathing
12Takagi et al., 1989 [19]M45Adenocarcinoma of lungInferotemporal quadrantYes24EnucleationAdrenal gland, rectumEnucleation3 mo, deceasedVitreous seeds, white exudates along the retinal veins, optic disc involvement, tumor cell emboli in central retinal vein
13Leys et al., 1990 [29]M49Oat cell carcinoma of lungTemporal maculaYes0AutopsyBrain, kidney, liverObservation1 mo, deceasedVitreous seeds, ERD, partially obscured retinal arteriole
14Striebel-Gerecke et al., 1992 [24]
(cited by Srivastava and Bergstrom, 2013 [28])		F47Oat cell carcinoma of lungInferonasal quadrantYesN/AVAB, autopsyBrain, liver, adrenal glandN/A2.5 mo, deceasedWhite cone shape mass in vitreous, plaque like retinal infiltration
15Tachinami et al., 1992 [30]
(cited by Srivastava and Bergstrom, 2013 [28])		M61Rectal adenocarcinomaSuperior maculaYesN/AAutopsyBrain, lymph nodesN/A5 mo, deceasedWhite retinal mass, ERD
16Spraul et al., 1995 [31]F74Muir-Torre syndrome/adenocarcinoma of lung or breastSuperotemporal quadrantYesN/AEnucleationLungEnucleation10 mo, aliveYellow-white tumor, shallow ERD, adenocarcinoma cells involving the retina
17Cangiarella et al., 1996 [32]F51Esophageal adenocarcinomaUnknownNo0VABLymph nodesN/A4 mo, aliveVitreous seeds, white retinal infiltrate, ERD
18Hutchison et al., 2001 [33]
(cited by Srivastava and Bergstrom, 2013 [28])		F63Colon adenocarcinomaSuperotemporal maculaYesN/AN/ALungN/A3 mo, alivePale elevated vascular lesion superotemporal to macula, ERD
19Gupta et al., 2002 [13]M46Oat cell carcinoma of lungJuxtapapillaryNo0ClinicalSkin, lymph nodesChemotherapy only1 mo, deceasedPale elevated juxtapapillary lesion, necrosis, optic disc, retinal and choroidal involvement
20Truong et al., 2002 [34]F59Breast carcinomaTemporal to foveaYes36ClinicalBrain, lung, liverExternal radiotherapyN/AWhite retinal and subretinal mass, ERD
21Saornil et al., 2004 [35]M70Gastric adenocarcinomaJuxtapapillaryYes192EnucleationMediastinal lymph nodeEnucleation23 mo, deceasedWhite retinal tumor, iris neovascularization (neovascular glaucoma), ERD
22Apte et al., 2005 [23]M39Cecal adenocarcinomaInferior maculaYes3PPV, excisional biopsyLiver, lungExternal radiotherapy3 mo, aliveVitreous seeds, ERD
23Rossi et al., 2005 [36]M41Non-small-cell lung carcinomaSuperotemporal macula OUYes6ClinicalBone, brainChemotherapy only3 mo, deceasedWhite elevated retinal mass, ERD
24Rundle and Rennie, 2006 [22]F55Breast carcinomaTemporal to foveaYes108ClinicalLungPhotodynamic therapy2 mo, aliveWhite retinal mass, SRF
25Sirimaharaj et al., 2006 [37]F60Breast carcinomaNasal midperipheral retinaYes36PPVSpine, lung, brainExternal radiotherapy8 mo, deceasedVitreous cell clumps, white precipitates vascular sheathing
26Alegret et al., 2009 [21]M15Nasopharyngeal carcinomaInferotemporal arcadeYes12ClinicalLungChemotherapy onlyN/AWhite nodular lesion
27Kim et al., 2010 [38]F64Gastric adenocarcinomaMacula OU, vitreous ODYes24PPVLung, liver, peritonealExternal radiotherapy1 mo, aliveVitreous seeds, white nodular lesion
28Coassin et al., 2011 [39]F54Small cell lung carcinomaTemporal maculaN/aN/APPV, retinal biopsyBrainN/A7 mo, aliveVitreous seeds, white retinal infiltrates
29Payne et al., 2012 [40]M62Small cell lung carcinomaTemporal maculaN/aN/AVAB, retinal biopsy, PPVN/AExternal radiotherapy10 mo, aliveVitreous haze, retinal whitening
30Shields et al., 2014 [3]F75Breast carcinomaInferotemporal quadrantYes103N/AN/AObservationN/AYellow retinal mass, irregular contour, intrinsic hemorrhage, SRF
31Shields et al., 2014 [3]M56Esophageal adenocarcinomaN/AYes26N/AN/AObservation1 mo, deceasedRetinal whitening, SRF
32Shields et al., 2014 [3]F58Breast carcinomaN/AYes214N/AN/AObservation1 mo, deceasedRetinal whitening, SRF
33Shields et al., 2014 [3]F64Lung carcinomaTemporal maculaYes20Fine needle biopsyN/APlaque radiotherapy4 mo, deceasedWhite retinal mass, vitreous seeds, intrinsic vascularity, vitreous hemorrhage
34Taubenslag et al., 2015 [20]M75Non-small-cell lung carcinomaSuperotemporal quadrantNo0PPV, retinal biopsyNoExternal radiotherapy18 mo, aliveBranch retinal vein occlusion, SRF, vitreous cells, presumed optic disc involvement
35Praidou et al., 2017 [41]M70Hepatocholangio carcinomaInferotemporal arcadeYes11PPV, retinal biopsyLiverResection and chemotherapy12 mo, aliveVitreous seeds, white retinal lesion, SRF
36Essadi et al., 2017 [42]M62Clear cell renal carcinomaN/AYes28ClinicalLungChemotherapy only4 mo, aliveLarge retinal mass, retinal hemorrhage
37Whalen et al., 2018 [9]M55Bladder cancerInferonasal quadrantYes48PPVNoExternal radiotherapy, enucleation23 mo, aliveUveitis, pseudohypopyon, SRF, and satellite lesions
38Mano et al., 2018 [43]M69Esophageal adenocarcinomaMacula and peripheral retinaYesN/APPVWidespreadAntiviral treatment3 mo, deceasedVitreous seeds, white infiltrates simulating acute retinal necrosis
39Ramtohul et al., 2019 [44]M51Colon adenocarcinomaSuperior maculaYesN/AN/AN/AN/A6 mo N/ALarge vascularized retinal mass, retinal hemorrhage (initially), choroidal involvement (at 6 mo follow-up)
40Jorge et al., 2020 [15]F63Lung carcinomaJuxtapapillaryNo0ClinicalLiverChemotherapy only8 mo aliveYellow retinal lesion
M: male; F: female; N/A: not available; SRF: subretinal fluid; ERD: exudative retinal detachment; VAB: vitreous aspiration biopsy; PPV: pars plana vitrectomy; OD: right eye; OS: left eye; OU: both eyes; mo: month.