Effects of oral propranolol for circumscribed choroidal hemangioma / Efeitos do propranolol oral para de hemangioma circunscrito de coroide

ABSTRACT Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the effects of oral propranolol for circumscribed choroidal hemangioma. Methods: In this prospective, longitudinal interventional study, we administered oral propranolol at a dosage of 1.5 mg/kg/day to five patients with circumscribed choroidal hemangioma. We then evaluated visual acuity, binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy, optical coherence tomography, optical coherence tomography angiography, fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography, and ocular ultrasonography at regular intervals and compared changes from the baseline assessments. Results: No clinical or diagnostic changes were observed in the sizes of the circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas during treatment. Complications due to the hemangioma were reduced in the first four months of treatment, followed by maintenance, before worsening in the subsequent three months. Conclusions: The study showed that oral propranolol at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg/day did not offer effective monotherapy in the treatment of circumscribed choroidal hemangioma.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito do propranolol oral para hemangioma circunscrito da coroide. Métodos: O estudo é do tipo prospectivo, quantitativo e descritivo. Propranolol oral na dose de 1.5 mg/kg/dia foi administrada em cinco pacientes com hemangioma circunscrito da coroide. Todos os pacientes foram avaliados com acuidade visual, oftalmoscopia binocular indireta, tomografia de coerência óptica, angiografia com tomografia de coerência óptica, angiografia com fluoresceína e indocianina verde e ultrassonografia ocular. Resultados: Nenhuma mudança clínica ou no tamanho do hemangioma circunscrito da coroide foi vista através de métodos diagnósticos em qualquer momento do tratamento. Uma atenuação das complicações foi observada nos primeiros quatro meses de tratamento, com manutenção da condição e piora nos meses seguintes. Conclusão: O estudo mostrou que o propranolol oral na dose de 1.5 mg/kg/dia não se mostrou efetivo como monoterapia no tratamento do hemangioma circunscrito da coroide.

Baixa visão secundária a osteoma de coroide / Reduced vision caused by choroid osteoma

RESUMO Relatamos um caso de osteoma de coroide em uma paciente feminina de 25 anos. Apresentava uma lesão amarelada e elevada no polo posterior, característica da lesão tumoral. O diagnóstico foi confirmado com a ultrassonografia ocular. A paciente apresentava baixa acuidade visual e edema de mácula, que melhorou após injeção intravítrea de bevacizumab.

ABSTRACT The authors present a case of choroidal osteoma diagnosed in a 25-year-old female patient. A well-defined and slightly elevated yellow lesion located in the posterior pole of the right eye was suspected to be a tumor. Confirmation of diagnosis was obtained with A and B ecography. The patient had low vision and macular edema, which improved after intraocular injection of bevacizumab .

Lung Cancer Presenting with Choroidal Metastasis in a Pregnant Woman.

A 28-year-old, non-smoker pregnant woman who was initially diagnosed to have deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism earlier in pregnancy, presented at 22 weeks of gestation with dyspnoea, visual loss initially in the right eye and then in the left eye. Fundoscopic examination revealed metastatic foci, suggestive of choroid metastases. Computed tomography of the chest revealed a right hilar mass. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoscopic biopsy confirmed lung adenocarcinoma. As the patient and family wished to continue with the pregnancy, chemotherapy with cisplatin and was administered from the 31st week of pregnancy and she had undergone Caesarian section in the 32nd week and the baby was healthy. We report this case as it is probably the first reported case of lung cancer presenting with choroidal metastasis in a pregnant woman.

Transient increased exudation after photodynamic therapy of intraocular tumors

To report transient increased exudation after photodynamic therapy [PDT] of three different intraocular tumors [retinal hemangioblastoma, retinal astrocytoma, amelanotic choroidal melanoma]. PDT with verteporfin [6 mg/m[2] body surface area] was delivered at a dose of 50 J/cm[2] and intensity of 600 mW/cm[2] over 83 s. All patients experienced decreased vision within a few days following PDT. Optical coherence tomography showed development of subfoveal fluid in all cases and noncystoid intraretinal edema in the eye with juxtapapillary retinal hemangioblastoma. There was complete absorption of retinal/subretinal fluid with improvement of visual acuity to 20/20 in all cases between 3 weeks to 4 months after PDT

Combination therapy of low-fluence photodynamic therapy and intravitreal ranibizumab for choroidal neovascular membrane in choroidal osteoma.

Choroidal osteoma is an unusual form of intraocular calcification seen in otherwise healthy eyes. It is a benign idiopathic osseous tumor of the choroid, typically seen in young females. Choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) is a complication seen in one-third of these patients and carries a poor visual outcome. We report a case of a 25-year-old hyperthyroid female with choroidal osteoma and subfoveal CNVM in her left eye which was successfully treated using low-fluence photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin followed by a single injection of intravitreal ranibizumab.

Intravitreal bevacizumab (avastin) for circumscribed choroidal hemangioma.

Circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas are rare ophthalmic entities that cause diminution in vision due to accumulation of subretinal and/or intraretinal fluid in the macular area. Various treatment options ranging from conventional laser to photodynamic therapy have been employed to destroy the tumor and reduce the exudation; however, either the inability to penetrate through the exudative fluid or the collateral retinal damage induced by these treatment modalities make them unsuitable for lesions within the macula. We evaluated the role of intravitreal bevacizumab, a pan-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor, in reducing the sub- and intraretinal fluid in three patients with circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas. All the patients had complete resolution of the serous retinal detachment that was maintained till at least 12 months after the first injection. Intravitreal bevacizumab may be used in combination with thermal laser or photodynamic therapy in treating circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas with subretinal fluid.

Systemic chemotherapy and tamoxifen induced regression of choroidal metastasis from a breast carcinoma in a male.

We report a case of a 55-year-old male patient with breast carcinoma, who developed choroidal metastasis. The patient had undergone mastectomy for carcinoma of right breast, five years ago. The patient was advised close follow-up for the left eye, as he was already on tamoxifen therapy (started a month ago) for spinal metastasis. On last follow-up, a year later, the choroidal lesion had completely scarred, with no recurrences. Systemic hormonal therapy like tamoxifen given for the breast primary and other systemic metastases may cause regression of the choroidal metastasis, thereby avoiding ocular radiotherapy. Medline search revealed only one published case of regression of choroidal metastasis from a male breast primary, on tamoxifen therapy.

Chroidal metastasis from breast carcinoma

To report a case of intraocular metastasis from breast carcinoma. A 54-year-old woman diagnosed with multifocal ductal adenocarcinoma, grade III, of the left breast presented with blurred vision of the left eye. Funduscopy under pupil dilation in the left eye revealed a plateau-shaped, yellow choroidal focus measuring 4 optic disc diameters and located 3 optic disc diameters below the fovea. The patient was treated with two cycles of docetaxel and capecitabine. One month later the patient's visual acuity improved. Funduscopy confirmed reduction of oedema. This case shows that impaired vision can be an alarming symptom in a breast cancer patient and a description is given of the morphological features that could help in recognizing the smallest detectable breast cancer metastasis

Tratamento conservador ocular dos melanomas de coróide com braquiterapia utilizando placas de iodo-125 / Conservative treatment of choroidal melanomas using iodine brachytherapy

OBJETIVO: Avaliar, retrospectivamente, o resultado do tratamento conservador do melanoma de coróide, por meio de braquiterapia, usando placas episclerais de iodo-125 (modelo 6711, Amershan). MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 49 pacientes portadores de melanoma de coróide tratados no Hospital do Câncer, São Paulo, SP, de março de 2001 a janeiro de 2003. Os seguintes parâmetros foram analisados e correlacionados ao controle local e sobrevida: sexo, idade, dimensões da lesão, tempo de tratamento e doses no ápice e base das lesões. RESULTADOS: Com diâmetro máximo da base do tumor de 17 mm e altura máxima de 12 mm, observamos que as doses na base do tumor variaram de 213 a 463 Gy (mediana de 347 Gy) e no ápice, de 51 a 250 Gy (mediana de 91 Gy). As taxas de preservação ocular, sobrevida livre de doença e conservação ocular, atuariais em dois anos, foram de 96 por cento, 93,5 por cento e 96,3 por cento, respectivamente. Através de análise univariada, o único fator prognóstico para controle local nesta análise foi a altura do tumor menor que 6 mm (p = 0,0348). CONCLUSÃO: A braquiterapia levou a uma taxa bastante satisfatória de controle local, confirmando que a altura do tumor é um dos fatores prognósticos importantes desse parâmetro.

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate the results of conservative therapy using episcleral iodine-125 (model 6711, Amershan) plaque for brachytherapy of choroidal melanoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 49 patients with choroidal melanoma treated at "Hospital do Câncer", São Paulo, Brazil, from March 2001 to January 2003. The following clinical parameters were analyzed and correlated with local control and survival rate: gender, age, lesion dimension, treatment duration, as well as doses in apex and base of the tumors. RESULTS: The maximum diameter and height of the base of the tumors treated were 17 mm and 12 mm, respectively. Doses at those points ranged from 213 to 463 Gy (median: 347 Gy) and 51 to 250 Gy (median: 91 Gy), respectively. The actuarial rates of ocular preservation, disease free survival and ocular preservation in 2-years were 96%, 93.5% and 96.3%, respectively. A tumor height < 6 mm was the only predictive factor for local control (p = 0.0348) in the univariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Brachytherapy achieved a very satisfactory rate of tumor local control, confirming that tumor height is one of the most important predictive factors for local control.

Choroidal metastases as a presenting sign after 24 years of a primary breast cancer.

A case of relapsing breast carcinoma presenting with acute visual loss secondary to choroidal metastases is described. Relapse occurred 24 years after surgery and radiotherapy for primary lesion and spared the loco-regional area. Such a long remission period is unusual.