Metastatic choroidal paraganglioma

Abstract

Purpose: To describe a patient with metastatic choroidal paraganglioma that was locally controlled with radiotherapy.

Design: Interventional clinicopathologic case report.

Participant: One patient with metastatic choroidal paraganglioma.

Methods: Interventional clinicopathologic case report and systematic search of the literature.

Main outcome measures: Description of clinicopathologic features, treatment methods, and outcome.

Results: A 50-year-old man had a nonpigmented atypical choroidal mass with secondary retinal detachment in the left eye. After incisional biopsy, the diagnosis of paraganglioma was established. Metastatic work-up revealed vertebral, mediastinal, and pulmonary metastases of a nonsecretory, malignant paraganglioma without tracer uptake. The primary tumor was not identified. The ocular tumor regressed after stereotaxic radiotherapy. Two years later, recurrent lesions developed in the contralateral eye, which also was irradiated.

Conclusions: Malignant paraganglioma can metastasize in the choroid and should be included in the differential diagnosis of a nonpigmented choroidal mass. Stereotaxic radiation therapy is an effective treatment method. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with choroidal paraganglioma.

Financial disclosure(s): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.