Metastasis to the orbit from transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the pathological features of the extremely rare metastatic transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) from the bladder to the orbit, and to review the literature on metastatic TCC to the orbit.

METHODS: A 74-year-old man experienced 2 weeks of red eye, proptosis, diplopia, pain, and visual loss in the right eye. Three years previous to the current presentation, the patient had undergone a transurethral resection for superficial and moderately differentiated TCC of the bladder. A transseptal anterior orbitotomy was performed.

RESULTS: Histopathological examination of the orbital lesion revealed nests of carcinomatous cells. Atypical pleomorphic cells with vacuolated cytoplasm were evident. The cellular morphology of the orbital lesion was identical to that of the primary TCC. There have been 12 previously reported cases of metastases to the orbit from TCC of the bladder, with the time from onset of primary TCC to observation of ocular symptoms ranging from 3 weeks to 11 years. Mean survival after orbital metastasis developed from TCC was 3.0 months.

CONCLUSION: This study presents a detailed description of the pathological features of metastatic TCC in the orbit. In cases of orbital metastasis from TCC, patient prognosis is very poor.