Cancer-associated retinopathy preceding the diagnosis of a pulmonary carcinoid tumour

Geoffrey Merle; Edoardo Baglivo; Alain B Younossian; Sandrine Vijgen; Wolfram Karenovics; Omar Kherad

doi:10.1136/bcr-2020-235046

Cancer-associated retinopathy preceding the diagnosis of a pulmonary carcinoid tumour

BMJ Case Rep. 2020 Nov 2;13(11):e235046. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-235046.

Authors

Geoffrey Merle¹, Edoardo Baglivo², Alain B Younossian¹, Sandrine Vijgen³, Wolfram Karenovics⁴, Omar Kherad⁵

Affiliations

¹ Internal Medicine Division, Hôpital de la Tour, Geneva, Switzerland.
² Clinique de l'Oeil Onex, Onex, Geneva, Switzerland.
³ Dianapath Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁴ Thoracic and Surgery Department, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁵ Internal Medicine Division, Hôpital de la Tour, Geneva, Switzerland omar.kherad@latour.ch.

Abstract

Cancer-associated retinopathy (CAR) belongs to the paraneoplastic retinopathy syndromes and manifests itself by rapidly progressive vision loss, scotoma and photopsia. We herein reported the case of a 77-year-old woman without a cancer history who presents typical CAR symptoms. A complete workup followed by lung biopsy enabled the detection of a pulmonary carcinoid tumour. Treatment of oral cortisone was then initiated with dramatic improvements in the symptoms.

Keywords: lung cancer (oncology); medical management; visual pathway.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged
Biopsy
Carcinoid Tumor / complications
Carcinoid Tumor / diagnosis*
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Fluorescein Angiography / methods
Fundus Oculi
Humans
Lung Neoplasms / complications
Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis*
Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Ocular / diagnosis*
Retina / diagnostic imaging*
Retinal Diseases / diagnosis*
Retinal Diseases / etiology