pathology of orbital tumours [a retrospective study]

The study includes 226 cases of orbital tumours diagnosed at the Medical City Teaching Hospital over 15 years [1970-1984]. There were 159 [70%] malignant and 67 [30%] benign tumours. About two thirds of the malignancies were skin cancers involving the eye lids, mostly basal cell carcinomas [BCC]. Twenty three retinoblastomas has been diagnosed, followed by malignant melanomas, [10 cases], and two embryomal rhabdomyosarcomas. The most common benign tumours encountered were compound naevi, anigomas, neurofibromas and squamous cell papillomas. The histopathology as well as the differential diagnosis of these entities are discussed