General characteristics of orbital metastasis in breast cancer: a narrative review of case reports.

Breast-cancer metastasis has seen an increased incidence in recent years, owing to advancements in surveillance, diagnostic imaging, histopathological assessment, and treatment modalities. Metastasis to various sites, including the bone, lung, liver, and brain, is common in cancer patients. Orbital metastasis (OM) from breast cancer can lead to a range of symptoms, such as pain, palpebral ptosis, diplopia, ocular pain, vision loss, and a recessed eyeball. To explore the topic of systemic malignancies metastasizing to the orbit, a search was conducted on the PubMed service using keywords such as "orbit," "orbital," "cancer," "malignancy," and "metastasis." This review article aims to summarize the findings from the identified literature. Overall, 103 patients with breast cancer from 77 articles were investigated. The patients' mean age ± standard deviation was 58.73 ± 11.86 years. Types of breast pathology observed in the evaluated patients included lobular (32.1%), ductal pathology (35.9%), and unspecified (32%). The most common symptom was vision change 37.9% and diplopia 26.2%. Despite the rarity of OM in breast cancer, it is crucial to consider this condition due to its potential to exacerbate the functional status of the neoplastic disease. The primary treatment approach for orbital metastasis involves radiation therapy, often combined with systemic chemotherapy, hormone therapy or targeted therapy. These interventions aim to minimize symptoms and control disease progression. It is encouraging that advancements in medication, along with timely diagnosis and treatment, have the potential to improve outcomes for patients with orbital metastasis. However, further research is necessary to comprehensively evaluate all aspects of breast cancer metastasis to rare organs. A deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms and identification of potential therapeutic targets could enhance treatment strategies and ultimately improve patient prognosis.