Cancer metastatic to the orbit: the 2000 Robert M. Curts Lecture

To report the demographics and clinical features of a large series of patients with orbital metastasis.

Retrospective chart review on 100 consecutive patients and a literature review on orbital metastasis.

Of 100 patients, the primary tumor site was breast in 53 (53%), prostate gland in 12 (12%), lung in 8 (8%), skin (melanoma) in 6 (6%), kidney in 5 (5%), gastrointestinal tract in 5 (5%), choroid (melanoma) in 2 (2%), parotid gland in 1 (1%), and adrenal gland (neuroblastoma) in 1 (1%). Of patients in whom a detailed history was available, there was no history of cancer at the time of presentation in 19%. In 10%, the primary tumor remained undetected despite systemic evaluation. There were 36 male patients and 64 female patients whose mean age at diagnosis was 62 years (median 60 years, range 5 to 91 years). Both the right and left orbits were affected equally, and 4 cases (4%) were bilateral. The most frequent clinical findings were limited ocular motility (54%), proptosis (50%), and palpable mass (43%). The diagnoses were established by history, systemic survey, imaging studies, and biopsy. Treatment included chemotherapy, hormone therapy, irradiation, surgical excision, or observation, depending on clinical circumstances. Among patients with sufficient follow-up, 95% died of metastasis, with overall mean survival of 15 months (median 15 months; range 3 to 96 months) after orbital diagnosis.

The most common primary cancers that metastasize to the orbit are breast, prostate gland, and lung cancer. In 19%, there is no history of cancer when the patient presents with ophthalmic symptoms and in 10% the primary site remains obscure despite systemic evaluation. The systemic prognosis is generally poor.