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Types of intraocular lymphoma have different features, outcomes surgeons should know
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NUSA DUA, Indonesia — Primary vitreoretinal lymphoma, primary uveal lymphoma and metastatic intraocular lymphoma all have different clinical features and survival outcomes, of which physicians should be aware when counseling patients, a surgeon here said.
 Zelia M. Correa |
"Our role is to suspect, aid in diagnosis and participate in treatment planning and follow-up," Zelia M. Correa, MD, PhD, said during the joint meeting of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. "These results suggest that patients with the three most common clinical forms of intraocular lymphoma have distinct clinical features and vastly different survival outcomes."
In a retrospective chart review of 38 patients, 22 women and 16 men with intraocular lymphoma, Dr. Correa and colleagues showed that 33 patients (86.9%) had primary intraocular lymphoma, 28 (73.7%) had primary vitreoretinal lymphoma and five (13.2%) had primary uveal lymphoma. Metastatic uveal lymphoma was present in four cases, and secondary intraocular lymphoma was present in one case. The primary vitreoretinal subgroup had 67.9% men while the uveal subgroup had 80% women.
The ocular tissues that were involved most frequently were the vitreous in 26 cases, the retinal or subretinal space in 20 cases and the uvea in 10 cases.
Primary uveal patients had unilateral involvement 80% of the time while primary vitreoretinal and metastatic intraocular lymphoma patients had bilateral involvement 71.4% and 75% of the time, respectively.
Age range was similar for all groups, a median of 65.5 years, but 5-year survival rates were not. The primary vitreoretinal lymphoma group had an 80% 5-year survival rate, the primary uveal lymphoma group had a 20% rate and the metastatic lymphoma group had a 0% 5-year survival rate, with projected survival rates at less than 12 months.
Dr. Correa explained that ophthalmologists must know these rates so that they might better discuss treatment and follow-up with both the oncologist and the patient.