Vitreous metastasis of laryngeal carcinoma presenting as a white mass: A case report

We report a case of a vitreous opacity identified as a white inferiorly located vitreous mass. Vitreous surgical biopsy revealed that it was vitreous metastasis of laryngeal carcinoma.

A 56-year-old man on immune-chemotherapy for laryngeal carcinoma presented to our hospital with photopsia in his left eye (OS) for two weeks.

Slit-lamp examination revealed 0.5+ cells in the anterior chamber and 0.5+ cells in the vitreous humor OS. The optic nerve papilla was normal in both eyes, although slight macular edema was present OS. A white mass formed by a vitreous opacity precipitated at the inferior of the left fundus. Due to ongoing systemic treatment, the patient was unable to make frequent visits to ophthalmology, and the second visit occurred one month after the initial examination. Fundus angiography revealed retinal vasculitis OS. Two months after the initial visit, tractional retinal detachment with retinal hemorrhage occurred. Therefore, a 25-gauge lens vitrectomy was performed immediately. Histopathological examination of the vitreous obtained intraoperatively revealed atypical squamous cells identified as a vitreous metastasis of laryngeal carcinoma.

Vitreous metastasis of laryngeal carcinoma had not been previously reported. On the initial examination, there were few findings other than a white friable mass presenting as a vitreous opacity precipitating at the inferior of the fundus. Vitreous opacity in patients with carcinoma should be considered a potential indicator of metastatic tumors.