Orbital metastases in Italy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Oncology

Background:

• Orbital metastasis, while rare, presents a significant challenge in clinical management.
• Understanding the primary sources and outcomes is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze Italian patients with orbital metastasis.
• To correlate outcomes with the primary site of malignancy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 93 patients over 38 years.
• Literature review to supplement findings.

Main Results:

• Breast (39%), kidney (11%), and lung (9%) were the most frequent primary sites.
• Proptosis (73%) and limited ocular motility (55%) were common symptoms.
• Overall mean survival time (OMST) after orbital diagnosis was 13.5 months.

Conclusions:

• Breast, kidney, and lung cancers are primary drivers of orbital metastasis.
• Surgery offers local palliation, but prognosis remains poor.
• A decrease in orbital metastasis frequency was noted in the last decade.