Laser Therapy in the Management of Choroidal Breast Tumor Metastases

Abstract

* PURPOSE: To evaluate the potential of laser photocoagulation as a method of treating small metastatic lesions of breast carcinoma in the choroid. * METHODS: The 10 eyes of 7 patients were treated by Krypton red or argon green laser applications for small choroidal breast carcinoma metastasis with serous detachment of the retina. Before treatment 5 eyes had visual acuity of finger counting and 5 eyes had visual acuity of 6/15 or better. The treatment was repeated once in all eyes, except 1 eye in which it was repeated 3 times. RESULTS: In all eyes, one to two weeks after the treatment the tumor shrunk, the subretinal serous detachment absorbed, the retina flattened, and the visual acuity improved to 6/6-6/21. No reduction in vision was seen after the second treatment until the end of the follow-up period. In 1 eye, new tumors located elsewhere were again twice successfiilly treated. Patients reported a significant improvement of their quality of vision, as judged subjectively. * CONCLUSIONS: Laser treatment is a feasible, easy, rapid, and effective therapy for small choroidal breast carcinoma. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers 2001;32:294-299]

Posterior segment manifestations of ocular metastasis

“…Radiation therapy, including external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), plaque brachytherapy, stereotactic radiation therapy, cyber knife gamma surgery, and proton beam radiation therapy, have shown efficacy in controlling choroidal metastases [3,9,34,35]. Various laser modalities, including laser photocoagulation, transpupillary thermotherapy, and photodynamic therapy (PDT), have also provided beneficial results [36][37][38].…”