BREAST-CANCER AND THE EYE - A LITERATURE-REVIEW

Breast cancer has the well-known propensity to metastasize to almost a ny organ, giving rise to an almost unlimited variability of clinical s yndromes. Ophthalmic metastases may become a part of such a pattern. O rbital and ocular metastases are not a rare event within the clinical evolution of a breast cancer, accounting for about 2-10%. Their diagno sis is usually simple and involves only clinical and noninvasive metho ds. Radiotherapy is the treatment of choice in most of these situation s and should obviate the need for exenteration. Radiotherapy is always rewarding, enhances the comfort of the patient by preventing further loss of vision and even promotes his recuperation. Radiotherapy plays an important role in the relief of the symptoms and for the patient's well-being. Local curability is high, but probably has no influence on the course of the metastatic disease.