[Transpupillary thermotherapy for choroidal metastases].

PURPOSE: To present three cases with choroidal metastases treated with transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT).

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Five choroidal metastases of three patients were treated with infrared laser thermotherapy (TTT). In all cases the distorted vision, caused by serous retinal detachment joining the posterior pole metastasis, led the patients to an ophthalmologist. In our first case an intraductal breast carcinoma led to bilateral multifocal choroidal metastases. In the second case a squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx caused a rapidly growing choroidal metastasis. The primary tumor of the third patient was urothelial carcinoma. The efficacy of treatment and systemic (general health) outcomes are discussed.

RESULTS

Three of the tumors regressed to a flat scar, and led to improved vision after one session of treatment, one tumor needed two sessions of treatment to regress. The metastasis from the squamous cell carcinoma grew very fast and caused an early death not allowing follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

TTT can be a safe therapeutic option for small choroidal metastases. This one-session treatment leads to tumor regression, improves vision and positively affects quality of life of the patient suffering from metastatic cancer.