Iris metastasis from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A case report

Abstract

Carcinoma metastatic to the eye is a rare condition, typically associated with a poor prognosis. Breast and lung cancers are the most common sources of intraocular metastases, and the majority of metastatic lesions involve the posterior uvea, with <8% of reported cases arising in the iris. Intraocular metastasis as the presenting form of esophageal carcinoma is highly uncommon. In the present report, a rare case of metastatic iris tumor resulting from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is discussed. A 64-year-old patient presented with a progressively distending pain in the right eye, with associated blurred vision. Local and systemic evaluation was performed, followed by treatment. Multiple examinations identified a neoplasm in the right iris and postoperative pathology revealed that the iris lesion was a metastasis of esophageal squamous cell cancer origin. The patient was treated with adjuvant radiation. To the best of our knowledge, this was only the second reported case of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma metastasizing to the iris.

Keywords: esophageal cancer; iris metastasis; squamous cell carcinoma.

Figure 1.

CT and histopathological analysis of the esophageal primary cancer. (A) CT scan identified neoplastic tissue (arrow) in the lower esophagus. (B) Poorly differentiated esophageal squamous cell carcinoma identified by postoperative pathological analysis (hematoxylin and eosin staining; magnification, x100). (C) Immunohistochemical staining for P63 within the areas of carcinoma nests (arrows) from the primary specimen (magnification, x200). CT, computed tomography.

Figure 2.

CT and histopathological analysis of the iris neoplasm. (A) CT scan identified neoplastic tissue (arrow) in the right eye. (B) Carcinoma nests invaded the iris and a worse differentiation degree was observed in the postoperative pathology of the iris neoplasm than the primary tumor (hematoxylin and eosin staining; magnification, x100). (C) Immunohistochemical staining for P63 (arrows) from the metastatic specimen were consistent with primary esophageal carcinoma (magnification, x200).CT, computed tomography.