Cancer-associated retinopathy in a patient with advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Background. Paraneoplastic phenomena, such as retinopathy, may herald an un suspected gynecologic malignancy. Case. A 75-year-old woman presented to a neuro-ophthalmologist with abrupt onset of unilateral visual loss. A diagnosis of branch retinal artery occlu sion was made and she was treated with aspirin. An echocardiogram subsequen tly revealed atrial dilation and she was placed on coumadin therapy. Her vi sion worsened and a cancer-associated retinopathy was entertained. A serum cancer-associated retinopathy antibody was detected; subsequent computed to mographies of the abdomen and pelvis revealed findings consistent with a pr imary ovarian carcinoma. Conclusion. Patients with unexplained ophthalmologic symptoms may harbor an underlying gynecologic cancer. (C) 1999 Academic Press.