Incidence and clinical characteristics of symptomatic choroidal metastasis from breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
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.
Kreusel
Klaus-Martin
KM
Eye Centre, DRK Clinic Westend, Berlin, Germany. KMKreusel@aol.com
Bechrakis
Nikolaos E
NE
Krause
Lothar
L
Wiegel
Thomas
T
Foerster
Michael H
MH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001604:Berlin / Q000453:epidemiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed