Clinical conditions mistaken for metastatic cancer to the choroid

Thirteen patients who were referred to the Oncology Unit with the diagnosis of metastatic cancer to the choroid were studied and found to have other conditions. All of the patients were female. Nine of the 13 had a history of systemic cancer of which 6 were breast cancer. Five patients were currently being treated with chemotherapeutic agents for their systemic cancer. Three of the 13 patients had bilateral fundus lesions. The most common diagnostic entities confused with metastatic disease were either inflammatory or hemorrhagic lesions of the retina. The preceding history of cancer in the patient with a puzzling fundus lesion may predispose the referring ophthalmologist to suggest a diagnosis of metastatic cancer to the choroid.