[Ocular metastatic carcinoma--rare or common?].

Ocular metastatic carcinoma is the most common malignant neoplasm of the eye. It usually occurs after diagnosis of the primary tumor and the appearance of metastatic disease. However, it may be the initial manifestation of disease. Subclinical disease is often unnoticed because patients usually have metastatic disease to other organs which dominate the clinical picture. Regardless of the primary tumor, the prognosis following metastasis to the eye or orbit is poor, with average survival only a few months. The most common part of the eye involved by metastases is the highly vascular choroid, followed by the anterior segment, other orbital structures, lids, and retina. Early diagnosis and local treatment of the lesion maximize quality of life, but do not increase survival time.