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Updated: Dec 21, 2025
Author Spotlight: Advancing VRL Diagnosis Using Cell-Free DNA Extraction from Vitreous Humor
Published on: January 12, 2024
ASSOCIATION OF VITREORETINAL LYMPHOMA WITH SYSTEMIC LYMPHOMA
Arman Mashayekhi1, Lauren A Dalvin, Li-Anne S Lim
1Ocular Oncology Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Dalvin is now with the Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
Purpose:
To determine the association between vitreoretinal lymphoma and systemic lymphoma (SL).
Methods:
Single-center retrospective review of medical records.
Results:
Of 95 patients with vitreoretinal lymphoma, 18 (19%) had associated SL (SL group) and 77 (81%) were not associated with SL (no SL group). The most common sites of SL were skin (n = 5), testis (n = 2), liver and breast (n = 2), and others (n = 9). A comparison (SL group vs. [vs.] no SL group) revealed no difference in demographic or ocular findings at initial visit. In the SL group, SL occurred before the onset of ocular symptoms in 14 (78%) patients with mean interval of 86 months (median 61, range 5-286 months) or after ocular symptoms in 4 (22%) patients with mean interval of 19 months (median 12, range 7-44 months). A comparison revealed no difference in overall frequency of pre-existing or eventual central nervous SL (50% vs. 53%, P = 0.99); however, the SL group demonstrated central nervous SL more often after onset of ocular symptoms (78% vs. 17%, P = 0.001). A comparison found no difference in treatment methods, response of vitreoretinal lymphoma to treatment, final visual outcome, or death rate.
Conclusion:
We found 19% of patients with vitreoretinal lymphoma demonstrate related SL, and there was no difference in demographics, clinical features, or response to treatment, compared to those not associated with SL.
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