Management of orbital metastases

True metastatic disease to the orbit is rare. We present an overview of the treatment and clinical outcome of 11 orbital metastases, carried out in our center from 1995 to 2002. The surgical approach was determined by the location and type of the lesion. The most common primary cancers that metastasized to the orbit were lung cancer, and breast cancer. In 6 patients, there was no history of cancer and in 1 patient the primary site remained obscure despite systemic evaluation. Three patients showed recurrent tumor growth despite chemo- and/or radiotherapy. The mean survival time was 15 months after diagnosis of orbital metastases. The systemic prognosis is generally poor. A multidisciplinary treatment is required. Therapeutic options include surgical biopsy, debulking or excision, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.