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Malignant Tumors of the Eyelid
A Population-Based Study of NonBasal Cell and NonSquamous Cell Malignant Neoplasms
Curtis E. Margo, MD, MPH;
Zuber D. Mulla, MSPH
Arch Ophthalmol. 1998;116:195-198.
Objective To determine the relative frequencies, average annual incidences, and patient characteristics of nonbasal cell and nonsquamous cell malignant neoplasms of the eyelid in a defined geographic population.
Design and Setting A retrospective study using the Florida Cancer Data System to identify malignant tumors of the eyelid, except for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, from 1981 through 1994. Cases were limited to persons who resided within Florida.
Main Outcome Measure Incidence of histologically confirmed malignant eyelid tumors.
Results Two hundred six primary malignant eyelid tumors were identified. The 3 most common, in order of frequency, were melanoma, sebaceous carcinoma, and lymphoma. The median age at diagnosis for all patients was 73 years. Only 3 of the 206 malignant neoplasms occurred in blacks. The annual incidence of eyelid melanoma and sebaceous carcinoma in whites older than 20 years was 0.6 and 0.5 per million, respectively. Kaposi sarcoma was the most common type of mesenchymal tumor. Eleven different histologic types of lymphoma were found in the eyelid. Only 2 of 27 lymphomas had T-cell lineage.
Conclusions Malignant tumors of the eyelid other than basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma are uncommon and usually occur in elderly white persons. Primary eyelid tumors of any type are rare in blacks. The risk of a nonbasal cell and nonsquamous cell malignant neoplasm of the eyelid in Florida is 6.4 times greater for whites than for blacks (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1-20.2). A variety of B-cell lymphomas can be manifested as primary eyelid tumors.
From the Departments of Ophthalmology and Pathology, College of Medicine (Dr Margo), and the Cancer Control Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute (Mr Mulla), University of South Florida, Tampa.
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