To study the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of choroidal metastatic carcinoma in Korean patients.

The records of 25 eyes of 21 patients with choroidal metastatic carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed. Primary tumor origins, the time from the diagnosis of primary carcinoma to the diagnosis of choroidal metastases, other metastatic lesions elsewhere in the body, ocular features, symptoms, and treatment outcomes were analyzed.

The most common primary tumor sites were the lungs (52%) and breasts (24%). Common metastatic lesions besides choroid included central nervous system, bone, lungs, and the liver. The mean time from the diagnosis of primary carcinoma to the diagnosis of choroidal metastases was 36 months. The mean life expectancy was 16 months, but relatively shorterfor lung cancer (13.3 months) than for breast cancer (22.7 months). Fifty-four percent of cases resulted in clinically evident shrinkage of the tumor after palliative treatment for the choroidal mass. Vision improved or stabilized in 46% of cases, and retinal reattachment was achieved in 47% of cases. Concurrent external beam radiotherapy and chemotherapy produced higher response rates than chemotherapy alone for the shrinkage of tumors ( p =0.05) and retinal reattachment ( p =0.04).

In Korean patients, the lungs and breasts are the two most common primary tumor sites for chorodial maetastatic carinoma, though metastatic lesions elsewhere are very common. Palliative treatment for choroidal metastases is efficient for tumor shrinkage, retinal reattachment, and the preservation of vision. However, the prognosis for patients with choroidal metastases remains poor.