Current views and personal experience regarding primary extraocular malignant tumours

ABSTRACT

This paper includes discussion of current clinical and therapeutic aspects of more common of the malignant tumors of the eyelid, the conjunctivocornea, and the lacrimal system. In the eyelid, 85-95% of the malignant tumors are basal cell carcinomas and only 5% are squamous cell carcinomas; in the conjunctiva, this ratio is almost completely reversed. However, it appears from the few available reports that the relative incidence of these tumors may not follow this pattern in Pakistan. Malignant melanoma, sebaceous carcinoma, intraepithelial neoplasia and adenocarcinoma also receive appropriate comments. It is interesting that a Pakistani author published the first detailed report of an adenocystic carcinoma of the lacrimal sac and duct in the world literature. Also in Pakistan intraepithelial neoplasia of the conjunctiva, usually a tumor found in adults and the elderly, may be seen in children. Routinely, the sebaceous carcinomas require more extensive procedures, but in one patient cure followed adequate local excision of a sebaceous carcinoma of the tarsus in early stages