Bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation in a patient with cancer-associated retinopathy

Am J Ophthalmol. 2005 Nov;140(5):942-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2005.05.048.

Abstract

Purpose: To describe a patient with bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation (BDUMP) and cancer-associated retinopathy (CAR).

Design: Interventional case report.

Methods: A 66-year-old woman developed progressive vision loss 4 months after total hysterectomy. Ophthalmologic examination, Western blot test of sera and aqueous humor, and immunohistochemistry of carcinoma cells were performed.

Results: Testing revealed BDUMP and severe retinal dysfunction. Autoantibodies against recoverin and heat shock cognate protein 70 (hsc 70) were detected in serum. Cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for recoverin and hsc 70 was observed in endometrioid carcinoma cells.

Conclusions: Simultaneous cases of BDUMP and CAR are rare. Aberrantly expressed recoverin and hsc 70 triggered serum autoantibody production, which caused photoreceptor degeneration.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Autoantibodies / blood
  • Autoantigens / immunology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Electroretinography
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / surgery
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
  • Gynecologic Surgical Procedures
  • HSC70 Heat-Shock Proteins / immunology
  • Humans
  • Indocyanine Green
  • Melanocytes / pathology*
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / complications*
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / drug therapy
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / immunology
  • Prednisolone / therapeutic use
  • Recoverin / immunology
  • Retinal Diseases / complications*
  • Retinal Diseases / drug therapy
  • Retinal Diseases / immunology
  • Uveal Diseases / complications*
  • Uveal Diseases / drug therapy
  • Uveal Diseases / immunology

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Autoantigens
  • Glucocorticoids
  • HSC70 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • RCVRN protein, human
  • Recoverin
  • Prednisolone
  • Indocyanine Green