GELATINOUS CANCER OF THE CHOROID FOLLOWING CARCINOMA OF THE RECTUM

Abstract

Statements regarding the frequency of metastatic cancer of the uvea show that the disease is not rare. Ask¹ in 1934 counted 211 published cases, in 157 of which the diagnosis was proved histologically. In 1936 Lemoine and McLeod² listed 230 cases, and in 1938 Bietti³ found 28 additional cases. These statistics do not indicate the real frequency of metastatic carcinoma, since many ophthalmologic institutions do not publish reports of the more frequent types of metastasis in the uvea. The reports are reliable only in regard to the rare forms of metastatic cancer in the eye. Among these rare types, uveal tumors derived from the intestinal tract should be mentioned, especially those of the frequently occurring rectal carcinoma of which only a few cases of uveal metastasis have been reported. Arisawa⁴ described in 1914 a case of medullary ulcerated carcinoma of the rectum with advanced colloid degeneration.