[Vasoproliferative retinal tumors]

Abstract

Background: Vasoproliferative Tumors of the retina (VPTR) are benign tumors of unknown origin, occurring mostly in otherwise systemically healthy patients. These highly vascularised tumors are characterised by a pink to yellow colour on funduscopy and are usually situated in the inferior part of the retina. They are associated with intraretinal hemorrhages, intra- or subretinal exudates and hyperpigmentation of the retinal pigment epithelium.

Materials and methods: We performed a retrospective case review of seven cases which have been diagnosed with VPTR between 2004 and 2006 in the Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich.

Results: The median follow up was 8 months (range: 1-24 months). We found a presumed underlying cause for the VPTR in 6 out of 7 patients. 3 patients showed a long standing retinal detachment; in the other 3 there was an untreated chronic uveitis. In one case the tumour was surgically excised and histology was performed.

Conclusions: VPTR of the ocular fundus are a distinct entity in the differential diagnosis of intraocular tumors. These benign lesions represent reactive gliovascular proliferations, with varying degrees of both gliosis and of vascular proliferation. VPTR can be idiopathic, or they develop after inflammatory, vascular, traumatic, dystrophic or degenerative ocular diseases, in particular, uveitis. The major differential diagnosis includes other vascular lesions or tumors of the ocular fundus like capillary retinal hemangiomas, Coat' Disease or malignancies. The natural course of VPTR appears to be variable. The therapy is based on tumor size, localisation and complications.