Unilateral orbital pain and eyelid swelling in a 46-year-old woman: orbital metastasis of occult invasive lobular carcinoma of breast masquerading orbital pseudotumour

BMJ Case Rep. 2011 Mar 15:2011:bcr1220103580. doi: 10.1136/bcr.12.2010.3580.

Abstract

Orbital metastasis is very infrequent in breast cancer; more so as an initial and sole presenting feature. The authors report a case of orbital metastasis of occult breast carcinoma in a 46-year-old woman, who presented with unilateral orbital pain and eyelid swelling. This was initially diagnosed as orbital pseudotumour and treated with steroids. The development of breast symptoms and finding of breast nodule, 3 months later, led to the diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast with orbital metastases, confirmed on biopsy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Lobular / diagnosis*
  • Carcinoma, Lobular / secondary*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Orbital Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Orbital Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Orbital Pseudotumor / diagnosis*