Ocular paraneoplastic syndrome: Cancer-associated retinopathy

• Published in: Archivos de la Sociedad Española de Oftalmología (English ed.) Vol. 88; no. 10; pp. 407 - 409
• Main Authors: Sampedro, A, Carballo, C, Barbón, J.J, Andrés, A, Viña, C, Abelairas, V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier España, S.L.U 01-10-2013
• Subjects: Cancer; Cancer associated retinopathy syndrome; Cancer-associated retinopathy; Cáncer; Ophthalmology; Paraneoplastic syndrome; Recoverin; Recoverina; Retinopatía; Retinopatía asociada al cáncer; Retinophaty; Síndrome de retinopatía asociada al cáncer; Síndrome paraneoplásico; Síndrome de retinopatía asociada al cáncer; Recoverina; Retinopatía; Retinopatía asociada al cáncer; Paraneoplastic syndrome; Cancer-associated retinopathy; Cancer associated retinopathy syndrome; Recoverin; Cáncer; Síndrome paraneoplásico; Retinophaty; Cancer
• ISSN: 2173-5794; 2173-5794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oftale.2012.06.016

Abstract Case report We review a patient with ocular manifestations of a paraneoplastic syndrome. It was a cancer-associated retinopathy (CAR) in a woman with visual loss, and attenuated and sheathed retinal arterioles. The electroretinography (ERG) showed severe abnormalities of the a and b-waves. The tumor process was not discovered until 6 months later, when a squamous neoplasia that invaded the uterus and vagina was observed. Discussion Paraneoplastic syndromes are a group of manifestations produced as a remote effect of cancer cells. CAR syndrome is caused by autoimmune reactions to retinal antigens induced by aberrant expression of recoverin in cancer tissues. Ophthalmologists must be aware of ocular paraneoplastic signs as they can be the first manifestations of a malignant tumor.