Cancer-Associated Retinopathy in a Patient with Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma

Background. Paraneoplastic phenomena, such as retinopathy, may herald an unsuspected gynecologic malignancy. Case. A 75-year-old woman presented to a neuro-ophthalmologist with abrupt onset of unilateral visual loss. A diagnosis of branch retinal artery occlusion was made and she was treated with aspirin. An echocardiogram subsequently revealed atrial dilation and she was placed on coumadin therapy. Her vision worsened and a cancer-associated retinopathy was entertained. A serum cancer-associated retinopathy antibody was detected; subsequent computed tomographies of the abdomen and pelvis revealed findings consistent with a primary ovarian carcinoma. Conclusion. Patients with unexplained ophthalmologic symptoms may harbor an underlying gynecologic cancer.