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Founders Award Lecturer gives update on retinal tumor research
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SAN FRANCISCO — Ocular oncology specialists have made strides in identifying and treating retinal tumors in recent years, Carol L. Shields, MD, told colleagues at the American Society of Retina Specialists annual meeting.
Shields, an ocular oncology specialist at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, presented the Founders Award Lecture, discussing innovations in treating and identifying retinal tumors.
Carol L. Shields
Among new ways of identifying tumors, Shields said that the fundus finding of a retina achromic patch helps lead to the diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), which is often associated with astrocytic hamartoma.
“We use this finding to clinch the diagnosis of TSC. It is such a strong finding for that diagnosis,” Shields said, adding that the retina achromic patch is “not clearly understood or well known. Some people feel that it’s a flat astrocytic tumor but we really don’t think it is that. We think it is simply [retinal pigment epithelium] depigmentation for some reason.”
Of 56 patients with TSC, Shields and colleagues found the retina achromic patch in 21% of cases, she said.
Because the finding is significantly associated with increased number of astrocytic hamartomas, peripheral location of astrocytic hamartomas and cognitive impairment and seizures in patients with TSC, Shields said there is an implied systemic association.
“You as retina specialists, if you see one of these two findings, you better look in the brain in these patients,” Shields said. – by Matt Hasson and Patricia Nale, ELS
Reference:
Shields CL. Founders Award: Innovations in retina tumors 2016. Presented at: American Society of Retina Specialists annual meeting; Aug. 9-14, 2016; San Francisco.
Disclosure: Shields reports no relevant financial disclosures.