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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Surgery Today

Ocular metastasis from esophageal cancer: a systematic review and pooled analysis of individual-level case data

  • Adam Mylonakis1
  • Marisophie P. Vasilakopoulou2
  • Markos Despotidis1
  • Aristeidis Sourgiadakis1
  • Dimitra Stefanou3
  • Petros C. Petrou4
  • Eirini Chatziralli5
  • Dimitrios Schizas1
5 affiliations
  1. 1First Department of Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laikon General Hospital, 17 Agiou Thoma Str, Athens, 11527 Greece
  2. 2Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital of Chalkida, Chalkida, Greece
  3. 3First Department of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laikon General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  4. 4First Department of Opthalmology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “G. Gennimatas” Hospital, Athens, Greece
  5. 5Second Department of Opthalmology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece
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Abstract

Purpose: Ocular metastasis from esophageal cancer is a very rare clinical entity, typically only described in isolated case reports. This systematic review describes the clinical features, diagnostic strategies, treatment modalities, and outcomes of this uncommon manifestation.

Methods: A systematic search of the literature in the PubMed/Medline and Scopus databases was conducted from database inception to January 25, 2026, focusing on adult ocular metastasis from esophageal cancer.

Results: Forty-one cases were identified (mean age 58.7 ± 10.5 years; male-to-female ratio 5.8:1). The most common presenting symptom was blurred vision (46.3%), followed by eye pain (26.8%), diplopia and ptosis (each, 14.6%), and floaters (9.8%). Impaired visual acuity was documented in 85.3% of the cases reported. The choroid was the most frequently involved site (43.8%), followed by the iris (31.3%) and then the retina (12.5%). Ocular metastasis was synchronous in 63.4% of cases and was the presenting manifestation in 29.3%. Additional systemic metastases were present in 80.5% of cases. External beam radiotherapy was the most common local treatment (68.3%), achieving visual improvement in approximately two-thirds of treated patients. Median overall survival was 6 months.

Conclusions: Ocular metastasis from esophageal cancer is indicative of advanced systemic disease. Early recognition and prompt local therapy may preserve visual function and quality of life despite poor overall prognosis.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{mylonakis2026ocular,
  title = {{Ocular metastasis from esophageal cancer: a systematic review and pooled analysis of individual-level case data}},
  author = {Adam Mylonakis and Marisophie P. Vasilakopoulou and Markos Despotidis and Aristeidis Sourgiadakis and Dimitra Stefanou and Petros C. Petrou and Eirini Chatziralli and Dimitrios Schizas},
  journal = {Surgery Today},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.1007/s00595-026-03373-2},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-026-03373-2},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Ocular metastasis from esophageal cancer: a systematic review and pooled analysis of individual-level case data
AU  - Adam Mylonakis
AU  - Marisophie P. Vasilakopoulou
AU  - Markos Despotidis
AU  - Aristeidis Sourgiadakis
AU  - Dimitra Stefanou
AU  - Petros C. Petrou
AU  - Eirini Chatziralli
AU  - Dimitrios Schizas
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/13
JO  - Surgery Today
DO  - 10.1007/s00595-026-03373-2
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-026-03373-2
AB  - Purpose: Ocular metastasis from esophageal cancer is a very rare clinical entity, typically only described in isolated case reports. This systematic review describes the clinical features, diagnostic strategies, treatment modalities, and outcomes of this uncommon manifestation.  Methods: A systematic search of the literature in the PubMed/Medline and Scopus databases was conducted from database inception to January 25, 2026, focusing on adult ocular metastasis from esophageal cancer.  Results: Forty-one cases were identified (mean age 58.7 ± 10.5 years; male-to-female ratio 5.8:1). The most common presenting symptom was blurred vision (46.3%), followed by eye pain (26.8%), diplopia and ptosis (each, 14.6%), and floaters (9.8%). Impaired visual acuity was documented in 85.3% of the cases reported. The choroid was the most frequently involved site (43.8%), followed by the iris (31.3%) and then the retina (12.5%). Ocular metastasis was synchronous in 63.4% of cases and was the presenting manifestation in 29.3%. Additional systemic metastases were present in 80.5% of cases. External beam radiotherapy was the most common local treatment (68.3%), achieving visual improvement in approximately two-thirds of treated patients. Median overall survival was 6 months.  Conclusions: Ocular metastasis from esophageal cancer is indicative of advanced systemic disease. Early recognition and prompt local therapy may preserve visual function and quality of life despite poor overall prognosis.
SN  - 0941-1291
SN  - 1436-2813
ER  -