Cancer-Associated Retinopathy and Treatment with Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy. A Seldom Used Approach?

Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2021 Feb 17;29(2):399-402. doi: 10.1080/09273948.2019.1681471. Epub 2019 Nov 11.

Abstract

Purpose: To report a case of cancer-associated retinophaty (CAR) treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IGIV) and review the use of IGIV in the treatment of CARMethods: Case report: A 68-year-old woman, former smoker, presented with bilateral subacute decreased visual acuity with 1 month of evolution, without other symptoms. Clinical examination revealed retinal atrophy and a mild vitritis component. Treatment with corticosteroid and IGIV was initiated empirically with the stabilization of visual loss. Anti-recoverin antibodies tested positive and a small cell lung carcinoma was diagnosed. In a review of the literature, we found that only 12 cases of patients treated with intravenous immunoglobulins have been reported.Conclusions: the early use of IVIG could contribute to an improvement and/or stabilization of visual symptoms in this patient group due to its rapid effect and lower profile of adverse effects when administered with chemotherapy.

Keywords: Cancer associated retinopathy; immunoglobulin; paraneoplastic syndrome; recoverin.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / drug therapy*
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography / methods
  • Fundus Oculi
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / therapeutic use*
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Ocular / diagnosis
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Ocular / drug therapy*
  • Retina / diagnostic imaging*
  • Retinal Diseases / diagnosis
  • Retinal Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Retinal Diseases / etiology
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods

Substances

  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
  • Immunologic Factors