How to Manage a Patient with Ocular Metastases?

Abstract

Ocular metastases are the most frequent ocular malignant tumors; their prevalence is estimated around 5-10% and is even higher in patients with breast or lung cancer. They represent various clinical situations, but they share the same hierarchical multidisciplinary therapeutic challenge with respect to the way systemic and local therapies should be selected in combination or sequentially in the personalized medical history of a patient. The challenges include tumor control, eye preservation, and the minimization of iatrogenic damage to sensitive tissues surrounding the tumor in order to preserve vision. These aims should further contribute to maintaining quality of life in patients with metastases. Many patients with choroidal metastases have systemic molecular treatment for their primary tumor. However, secondary resistance to systemic treatment is common and may ultimately be associated with cancer relapse, even after an initial response. Therefore, it makes sense to propose local treatment concomitantly or after systemic therapy to provide a more sustainable response. The aim of this review is to present current therapeutic strategies in ocular metastases and discuss how to tailor the treatment to a specific patient.