Ocular and orbital metastasis from systemic malignancies.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Oncology
• Medical Research

Background:

• Systemic malignancies can metastasize to ocular and orbital structures.
• Ocular and orbital metastases significantly impact patient prognosis and quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the incidence and characteristics of ocular and orbital metastases in adult and pediatric patients with systemic malignancies.
• To identify common primary cancer types associated with ocular and orbital spread.
• To evaluate treatment outcomes and survival rates for intraocular and orbital metastases.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of adult and pediatric patients diagnosed with systemic malignancies.
• Examination for ocular and/or orbital metastases.
• Classification of metastasis type (intraocular, orbital, or both).
• Identification of primary malignancy and treatment modalities.

Main Results:

• Ocular and/or orbital metastases were found in 11.3% of patients (36 out of 318).
• Orbital metastasis (80.5%) was more frequent than intraocular (13.9%) or combined (5.5%).
• In adults, breast carcinoma (females) and bronchus carcinoma (males) were common primary sites. In children, leukemia and neuroblastoma were frequent causes.
• Mean survival was 5 months for intraocular and 15.6 months for orbital metastases in adults; prognosis was poor in children.

Conclusions:

• Ocular and orbital metastases are significant complications of systemic malignancies, particularly in children.
• Orbital involvement is more prevalent than intraocular, with varying primary cancer origins in adults and children.
• Survival outcomes are considerably worse for intraocular metastases and in pediatric patients, highlighting the need for early detection and management.