Adenocystic carcinoma of eyelid: a case report and review of literature

Adenoid cystic carcinoma [ACC] is a rare slow growing epithelial malignancy. ACC is an intractable neoplasm due to its ability to invade perineural spaces. In eye, ACC most commonly arises in the lacrimal gland. Very rarely, ACC originates from accessory lacrimal gland tissue. In the rare instance of taking origin from eyelid, it can arise from eyelid skin, glands of Moll, palpebral lobe of lacrimal gland, accessory lacrimal glands in conjunctiva, or from ectopic lacrimal gland tissue. Here, we present a patient with an ACC of the outer part of upper eyelid, clinically presenting like sebaceous gland carcinoma. Its origin most likely was palpebral lobe of lacrimal gland. Palpebral lobe tumors should be strongly considered in the differential diagnosis of upper outer eyelid masses