Choroidal metastases from renal cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Choroidal metastases from renal cell carcinoma are uncommon. The authors investigated the clinical characteristics of patients with renal cell carcinoma in whom choroidal metastases developed.


METHODS
The clinical records of five patients with histopathologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma and choroidal metastases were reviewed retrospectively.


RESULTS
In four patients, choroidal metastases were either the sole initial manifestation of disease or were the initial manifestation of metastatic disease. The interval from nephrectomy to the onset of ocular signs ranged from 6 to 18 years. A reddish-orange appearance of the tumor was present in two patients, but no pathognomonic features distinguishing these tumors from other choroidal metastases were identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Ocular metastases may precede the diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma or may follow it by years or decades. This interval between its ocular and systemic presentation may be so prolonged as to obscure the relation between the choroidal metastases and the primary tumor. In patients with amelanotic or reddish choroidal lesions without known metastatic disease, evaluation of the kidney may be warranted as part of a metastatic workup to exclude metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Haimovici
R
R
Department of Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts, USA.
Gragoudas
E S
ES
Gregor
Z
Z
Pesavento
R D
RD
Mieler
W F
WF
Duker
J S
JS
D000368:Aged; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography