Periocular basal cell carcinoma - clinical perspectives

Basal cell carcinoma appearing to emanate from the punctum

Purpose

To present the clinical and histological characteristics of a basal cell carcinoma, which appears to emanate from the lacrimal punctum.

Observations

An 81-year-old caucasian female presented with an irritating lesion arising from the left upper punctum for approximately four months. Examination demonstrated a pedunculated pinkish lesion emerging from the left upper punctum. The patient elected to pursue the removal of the lesion. An excisional biopsy was performed by placing a curette within the upper eyelid punctum, and the lesion was scooped out. Pathology showed invasive nodular basal cell carcinoma. Following the diagnosis, a wedge resection of the left upper punctal region was performed, which showed no residual carcinoma.

Conclusion and importance

This case describes a unique instance of a basal cell carcinoma clinically appearing to arise solely from the upper eyelid punctum. A level of suspicion should be maintained when excising benign-appearing eyelid lesions, and a histopathological analysis is warranted.

Results of Mohs' Micrographic Surgery of Periocular Basal Cell Carcinoma: The Swedish Experience

The Department of Ophthalmology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, has until recently been the only eye clinic in the Nordic countries to perform Mohs' micrographic surgery of basal cell carcinoma. This has led to the practice of only the most complicated basal cell carcinomas being operated on with this technique. The purpose of this study was to present the results of these surgeries in patients with at least 5 years of follow-up. A retrospective study of all patients operated upon in 2010-2015 was performed. Data were gathered from their medical charts. Primary outcome was recurrence of basal cell carcinoma. One-hundred and sixty-seven patients were operated on. Mohs' micrographic surgery was used for tumours that were judged as highly aggressive on preoperative biopsy, had ill-defined borders, had recurred after previous surgery, or a combination of these factors. Nine recurrences (5.4% of all radical Mohs' micrographic surgeries) were diagnosed after a mean postoperative time of 37 months (4-84 months). Interestingly, all of these 9 recurrences after Mohs' micrographic surgery were in patients who had such surgery because of a recurrent basal cell carcinoma to start with. Good results can be achieved when operating on the most complicated periocular basal cell carcinomas with Mohs' micrographic surgery but special care has to be taken to ensure radical borders when operating on recurring basal cell carcinomas.

Management of periocular keratinocyte carcinomas with Mohs micrographic surgery and predictors of complex reconstruction: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Skin cancer is the most frequent cancer worldwide and the most frequent periocular tumor. Keratinocyte Carcinomas (KC) located in periorificial areas, such as periocular tumors, are considered high-risk tumors. Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS) is considered the first line for the treatment of high-risk KC, providing a lower recurrence rate than conventional wide excision.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinical-pathological features of periocular KC treated with MMS in a tertiary university center in Chile.

METHODS

A single-center, retrospective study of patients with KC located on the periocular area, that underwent MMS between 2017‒2022. MMS details were recorded.

RESULTS

One hundred thirteen patients with periocular carcinomas were included. The mean age was 59 ± 13 years; 52% were women. The most frequent location was the medial canthus (53%), followed by the lower eyelid (30.1%). The most frequent BCC histology was the nodular variant (59.3%). Regarding MMS, the average number of stages was 1.5 ± 0.7, and 54% of the cases required only 1 stage to achieve clear margins. To date, no recurrence has been reported. Tumors larger than 8.5 mm in largest diameter or 43.5 mm2 were more likely to require complex reconstruction.

STUDY LIMITATIONS

Retrospective design and a relatively low number of patients in the SCC group. Possible selection bias, as larger or more complex cases, may have been referred to oculoplastic surgeons directly.

CONCLUSION

The present study confirms the role of MMS for the treatment of periocular KCs. Periocular KCs larger than 8.5 mm might require complex reconstruction. These results can be used to counsel patients during pre-surgical visits.

Advanced Periocular Basal Cell Carcinoma with Orbital Invasion: Update on Management and Treatment Advances

Purpose

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequent malignant periocular tumor. It is associated with exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and its incidence is gradually increasing. It may occasionally display more aggressive behavior and result in orbital or intracranial invasion. Mortality from periocular BBC with orbital invasion is very low, but the associated morbidity can be significant, from disfigurement to blindness. Traditionally, these cases have been treated with orbital exenteration or with radiotherapy (RT), but in recent years, hedgehog pathway inhibitors (HPIs) have emerged, are effective in more serious cases, and are used primarily or combined with surgery, changing our perspective on the management of these patients.

Methods

We studied 24 cases of periocular BCC with orbital invasion, some primary and others recurrent, which were treated between 2011 and 2021 in the same hospital. All patients had clinical or radiological evidence of orbital invasion. Orbital exenteration was performed on 9/24 of the patients (1 received vismodegib after surgery), and 12/24 were treated, surgically preserving the eyeball, with 3 of them receiving adjuvant vismodegib. Three of the twenty-four patients were treated exclusively with vismodegib (Erivedge®, Genentech).

Results

One patient died due to poor tumor evolution, but the rest evolved favorably and they have had no recurrences. Vismodegib was generally well tolerated, except for in one patient who discontinued treatment due to the side effects.

Conclusions

In advanced BBC with orbital invasion, mutilating surgical treatments such as exenteration or potentially vision-threatening treatments such as RT remain as options. In recent years, however, very promising new medical therapies have emerged, such as HPI, which can be used effectively instead of surgery or in combination with it, preserving the eye and vision, which implies a new approach to treatment.

Exploring vismodegib: A non-surgical breakthrough in the management of advanced periocular basal cell carcinoma

The management of periocular basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is challenging due to its proximity to the eyeball. Vismodegib, a Hedgehog pathway inhibitor, has emerged as a therapeutic option for locally advanced and metastatic BCC. To critically appraise the relevant evidence, we conducted a systematic review of observational and experimental studies assessing the efficacy and safety of vismodegib for periocular BCC. Thirty-seven trials, including 435 patients, were eligible. No randomized trials were retrieved. Complete and overall clinical response rates were 20-88 % and 68-100 %, respectively. Disease progression was observed at a maximum rate of 14 %. Recurrence rates varied between 0 % and 31 %. The most common side effects were muscle cramps, dysgeusia, weight loss and alopecia. Treatment with vismodegib improved health-related quality of life. In conclusion, vismodegib represents an important novel treatment for advanced periocular BCC, with good response rates and acceptable tolerability profile. Nevertheless, its full potential needs clarification through randomized controlled trials.

Diagnosis and treatment of malignant eyelid tumors

BACKGROUND

Malignant tumors of the eyelid are much less frequent than benign eyelid alterations. These are frequently incidental findings without symptoms which are often overlooked or misinterpreted by patients.

OBJECTIVE

This article gives an overview of clinical aspects, diagnostics and treatment of the five most common malignant eyelid tumors and exemplarily explains the essential principles of evidence-based treatment of malignant eyelid tumors.

METHODS

This narrative review was prepared based on a selective literature search. The depiction of the treatment of eyelid tumors is supported by illustrations of clinical cases.

RESULTS

The medical history and inspection provide initial indications of malignancy. Every eyelid change suspected of being malignant should be examined histologically to confirm a diagnosis. By far the most common malignant eyelid tumor in Europe is basal cell carcinoma, which metastasizes only in exceptional cases. Squamous cell carcinomas, sebaceous adenocarcinomas, melanomas and Merkel cell carcinomas occur much less frequently. In these cases, potential metastasis in particular must be considered when making the diagnosis and staging has to be initiated. Surgical excision into healthy tissue with tumor-free margins is the gold standard for malignant eyelid tumors. Non-surgical adjuvant or neoadjuvant forms of evidence-based treatment can be initiated based on the individual case to minimize the risk of recurrence and metastasis.

CONCLUSION

It is essential to recognize eyelid changes at an early stage, to classify them correctly and to initiate the appropriate treatment. The interaction between the general condition and the personal needs of a patient as well as state of the art medicine are the keys to a good personalized treatment.

Review of Targeted Therapy, Vismodegib, for the Treatment of Periocular Basal Cell Carcinoma

PURPOSE

Periocular locally advanced basal cell carcinoma (POLA-BCC) is characterized by orbital involvement and/or extensive invasion of periocular structures. Hedgehog pathway inhibitors have been used for POLA-BCC with promising outcomes.

METHODS

The authors reviewed 11 articles published in English literature from January 2012 to July 2022 and reported the outcomes of patients with POLA-BCC who were treated with vismodegib.

RESULTS

A total of 384 patients were treated with vismodegib. The mean age was 72 years, and the median treatment duration was 9 months. The overall response rate was 75% with a median follow-up time of 14.4 months. Following vismodegib treatment, the median number of patients who required adjuvant surgery was 43% with a median time to surgery of 6.5 months. The exenteration rate was 6% (overall 8 patients). In total 93.7% of patients experienced grade I adverse events, 26.7% to 37.5% grade II, 8.8% to 10% grade III-IV, and 0.8% to 4.8% grade V. Major side effects included dysgeusia (30-100%), muscle spasm (15-100%), alopecia (47-75%), weight loss (23-83%), and decreased appetite (19-42%). The median percentage of patients who discontinued treatment due to toxicity was 29% with a median interval of 5 months before the development of side effects. The median recurrence rate following discontinuation of vismodegib was 7.8% with a median recurrence duration of 20 months.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with POLA-BCC, vismodegib, a hedgehog pathway inhibitor, provided high rates of orbital preservation, reducing exenteration rates to 6%. Neoadjuvant therapy with vismodegib can also be suggested for patients with POLA-BCC. While extremely effective, side effects lead to temporary or permanent discontinuation of vismodegib in small numbers of patients.

The Efficacy of Sonidegib in Treating Locally Advanced Basal Cell Carcinoma Involving the Periocular Area

INTRODUCTION

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin malignancy in Caucasians. Globally, about 20% of BCCs involve the periocular region. The treatment of periocular BCC may be very challenging because of its proximity to the intracranial structures. Thus, early diagnosis and early treatment is mandatory. Recently, the introduction of Hedgehog pathway inhibitor therapy revolutionized the management of unresectable BCCs. The aim of our study was to evaluate the outcome of sonidegib treatment in patients affected by periocular locally advanced (la) BCC at our skin cancer center.

METHODS

A 3-year retrospective study was carried out enrolling patients with periocular laBCC treated with sonidegib. Therapeutic response was defined as complete remission (CR) in case of complete regression of the tumor, partial remission (PR) in case of tumor regression not achieving complete remission, and stable disease (SD).

RESULTS

A total 16 patients (11 men and 5 women; medium age 71.6 ± 11.5 years) with periocular laBCCs undergoing treatment with 200 mg/day of sonidegib were included in our study. Patients included in the study were treated for at least 6 months for a median duration of 9 months. Overall, CR was reported in 9/16 (56.2%) patients, PR was reported in 4/16 patients (25%), and tumor remained stable in 3 patients (18.8%). No cases of disease progression were collected. Fourteen out of 16 patients experienced multiple adverse events (AEs): dysgeusia was reported in 12 (75%) patients, muscle spasms in 13 (81%) patients, and 7 (43.7%) patients presented with alopecia. However, all of the AEs were mild and none required treatment discontinuation.

CONCLUSION

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the effectiveness and safety of sonidegib in the management of BCC localized at the periocular region. Even if limited, our study suggests this drug as a valuable and safe option in periocular BCC management.

The impact of COVID-19 on the progression and management of periocular basal cell carcinomas

PURPOSE

To identify whether the delay caused by COVID-19 had an impact on the peroperative size of lesions and the choice of reconstruction performed in patients with periocular basal cell carcinomas (BCCs).

METHODS

We undertook a retrospective study looking at whether the delay caused by COVID-19 had an impact on the lesion size at the time of surgery, and consequently, on the choice of surgical repair. Results were compared to an equivalent time period a year prior to the onset of COVID-19. Elective surgery was stepped down at our hospital between March and June 2020. We collected data on patients that underwent BCC excisions between July 2020 and April 2021 and for an equivalent time period from 2019 to 2020. Measurements at listing were compared with those preoperatively obtained and from histological specimen.

RESULTS

Analysis using the paired T-test yielded a p-value 0.005 for the growth of the lesion between listing and surgery after the onset of the pandemic, while pre-COVID the p-value was 0.04. Most patients were able to undergo the same procedure as planned for despite the delay and statistically significant growth while awaiting surgery.

CONCLUSION

Literature suggests that BCC operations can be safely delayed up to 3 months. Our longest wait post-COVID was 12 months with a mean wait of 5 months. Only two patients in this group had a more invasive surgery than planned. We conclude that the delay caused by the pandemic, even beyond 3 months, had a minimal impact on the surgical plan and outcomes for patients with BCCs.

[Diagnosis and treatment of malignant eyelid tumors]

BACKGROUND

Malignant tumors of the eyelid are much less frequent than benign eyelid alterations. These are frequently incidental findings without symptoms which are often overlooked or misinterpreted by patients.

OBJECTIVE

This article gives an overview of clinical aspects, diagnostics and treatment of the five most common malignant eyelid tumors and exemplarily explains the essential principles of evidence-based treatment of malignant eyelid tumors.

METHODS

This narrative review was prepared based on a selective literature search. The depiction of the treatment of eyelid tumors is supported by illustrations of clinical cases.

RESULTS

The medical history and inspection provide initial indications of malignancy. Every eyelid change suspected of being malignant should be examined histologically to confirm a diagnosis. By far the most common malignant eyelid tumor in Europe is basal cell carcinoma, which metastasizes only in exceptional cases. Squamous cell carcinomas, sebaceous adenocarcinomas, melanomas and Merkel cell carcinomas occur much less frequently. In these cases, potential metastasis in particular must be considered when making the diagnosis and staging has to be initiated. Surgical excision into healthy tissue with tumor-free margins is the gold standard for malignant eyelid tumors. Non-surgical adjuvant or neoadjuvant forms of evidence-based treatment can be initiated based on the individual case to minimize the risk of recurrence and metastasis.

CONCLUSION

It is essential to recognize eyelid changes at an early stage, to classify them correctly and to initiate the appropriate treatment. The interaction between the general condition and the personal needs of a patient as well as state of the art medicine are the keys to a good personalized treatment.

The free bilamellar autograft (FBA) procedure: A comprehensive case series of an alternative surgical approach to reconstruction of large eyelid defects

Purpose

The free bilamellar autograft (FBA) procedure involves harvesting a free, full-thickness section of eyelid tissue from one of the patient's healthy eyelids to reconstruct a large defect of the involved eyelid. No vascular augmentation is employed. The purpose of this study was to determine the structural and cosmetic results of this procedure.

Methods

A case series was performed, looking at patients who underwent the FBA procedure for large, full-thickness eyelid defects (>50% eyelid length) between 2009 and 2020 at a single oculoplastic surgical centre. Basal cell carcinomas most frequently met criteria for the procedure. OHSN-REB waived ethics approval. All surgeries were performed by one surgeon. A single operation, with surgical steps reported in detail, was completed with follow-up documentation at ideally 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. The mean follow-up period was 28 months.

Results

Thirty-one patients (17 males, 14 females, mean age 78-years-old) were included in the case series. Comorbidities included diabetes and smoking. Most patients had known basal cell carcinomas removed from the upper or lower eyelid. The mean widths of the recipient and donor sites were 18.8 and 11.5 mm, respectively. All 31 FBA surgeries resulted in structurally functional, cosmetically pleasing, and viable eyelids. Six patients developed minor graft dehiscence, 3 developed an ectropion, and 1 developed mild superficial graft necrosis secondary to frostbite, which fully recovered. Three healing phases were identified.

Conclusion

This case series adds to the currently sparse data on the free bilamellar autograft procedure. The surgical technique is clearly articulated and illustrated. The FBA procedure is a simple and efficient alternative to current surgical techniques in the reconstruction of full-thickness upper and lower eyelid defects. The FBA provides functional and cosmetic success, despite the absence of an intact blood supply, with decreased operative time and faster recovery.

Nodular basal cell carcinoma masquerading as traumatic laceration

A woman in her 80s was referred to us as an emergency for repair of a traumatic laceration. She had a history of hypertension and dementia and lived alone; she had an increasing frequency of falls recently and presented to her local hospital following another fall. The medical team noted a left medial canthus defect with bleeding and unopposed edges. This was suspected to have been secondary to her fall. She was referred to us for emergency repair of the supposed laceration. Ophthalmic review revealed a large ulcerated lesion at the left medial canthus with indurated edges and oozing of blood. Rather than a traumatic aetiology, clinically it appeared more like basal cell carcinoma (BCC), so, instead of repair, punch biopsies were taken: histology later confirmed BCC. This highlights the variable clinical presentation of BCC and the importance of keeping a high index of suspicion for all periocular lesions.

Periocular basal cell carcinoma results and surgical outcome during a 5-year period in a larger Danish population

Background

To report tumour pathology, surgical procedure, complication rates and overall outcome of periocular basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in the Department of Ophthalmology at Sygehus Lillebaelt, Southern Denmark Region over a 5-year period.

Methods

Medical records for all patients who underwent surgery for periocular BCC between January 2016 and December 2020 were reviewed. All tumours were excised with a 3 mm margin beyond the clinically apparent delimitation of the tumour and analysed by frozen section histological examination. Paraffin sections were subsequently examined for a final histopathological diagnosis. Patient age, gender, date of resection, former cancer history, referring unit and follow-up time were recorded. Furthermore, histological subtypes identified from biopsy and resection, lesion location, lesion diameter, free margin after the first operation, lacrimal punctum involvement, reconstructive techniques and complications were also recorded.

Results

A total of 242 surgical excisions from 237 patients were recorded. The mean age was 69.7 ± 12.6 with women significantly predominant compared to men (1.8:1, p < 0.0001, binomial test). The mean tumour diameter was 4.29 mm (range 0.5–20 mm). The most common location and histological subtype was the lower eyelid and nodular BCC respectively (64.9% and 74.0% of cases). In 17.4% of the patients, the initial resection margin on the frozen section histology was not free of tumour cells and the risk was significantly greater for BCC subtypes considered aggressive in terms of growth pattern (morphea form, infiltrative and micronodular features) as compared to non-aggressive BCC subtypes (nodular and superficial) (p = 0.002, X²). In 239 (98.8%) of the patients, the BCC was found to be radically removed after final histopathological examination.

The sensitivity of identification of aggressive subtypes of periocular BCC in biopsies was 47.7%. No recurrences were found during the 5-year period.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated a tendency towards more women than men being diagnosed with periocular BCC. The initial biopsy performed for all patients underestimated the aggressiveness of BCC in almost half of the cases while aggressive BCC subtypes were more likely to need further resection after frozen section compared to non-aggressive subtypes.

Healthcare Resource Utilization and Cost of Care in Patients With Periocular Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Real-World Study

PURPOSE

To date, there are no studies on healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs for treating periocular basal cell carcinoma (pBCC). We investigated real-world HRU and costs of patients with limited versus extensive pBCC.

DESIGN

This was a retrospective cost analysis.

METHODS

Administrative claims database was mined for basal cell carcinoma (BCC)-related claims from January 2011 to December 2018. Patients had ≥1 inpatient or ≥2 outpatient nondiagnostic claims for pBCC ≥30 days apart, ≥6 months of continuous enrollment in a health plan before the index date, and ≥18 months of continuous enrollment after the index date. Patients were categorized by disease severity (limited or extensive) using Current Procedural Terminology codes. A total of 1368 patients were propensity matched 1:1 for limited and extensive pBCC (n = 684 each). Outcomes were cost and HRU measures during the 18-month follow-up period.

RESULTS

Patients with extensive disease had a higher number of outpatient visits (32.47 vs 28.81; P < .0001), radiation therapies (0.53 vs 0.17; P = .001), surgeries (1.82 vs 1.24; P < .001), days between first and last surgery (40.82 vs 16.51 days; P < .001), outpatient pBCC claims (3.89 vs 3.38; P < .001), and days between pBCC claims (170.43 vs 144.01 days; P < .001). Patients with extensive disease incurred higher total all-cause costs ($36,986.10 vs $31,893.13; P = .02), outpatient costs ($20,450.26 vs $16,885.87; P = .005), radiation therapy costs ($314.28 vs $89.81; P = .01), and surgery costs ($3,697.08 vs $2,585.80; P < .001) than patients with limited disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with extensive pBCC incurred higher costs, greater HRU, and longer time between first and last surgery versus patients with limited pBCC. Early diagnosis and early treatment of pBCC have economic benefits.

Clinicopathological Analysis and Surgical Outcome of Eyelid Malignancies: A Study of 332 Cases

Background

Eyelid tumours are common in our ophthalmic practice. Malignancy cases account only for one-fourth of all eyelid tumours. The most aggressive eyelid malignancy is sebaceous gland carcinoma, but its occurrences are rare in western countries. We found sebaceous gland carcinoma is as common as basal cell carcinoma in our clinical practices. Hence, it is essential to build awareness about the more aggressive eyelid malignancies to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Aim

To assess the relative frequency of eyelid malignancies in the Bangladesh population, state their clinical features and outcome of management strategies and build awareness about the more aggressive eyelid malignancies to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Methods

This was a retrospective case series study of 332 patients in Bangladesh. This study analyzed all the recorded data of the histologically proven primary eyelid malignancies and followed them up for at least six months from 2014 to 2019 (6 years). All patients were managed by surgical excision with tumor-free margins verified on histopathology, either the frozen section or excision biopsy with 2–3 mm microscopic view of normal tissue followed by eyelid reconstruction. Computer-based statistical software SPSS was used for the analysis, and an appropriate test of significance (chi-square) was used for the statistical analysis.

Results

Sebaceous gland carcinoma (SGC) was the highest in occurrence, at 42%, followed by 38% basal cell carcinoma (BCC), 18% squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC), and 02% malignant melanoma (MM). The mean age at presentation of SGC, BCC, SqCC, and MM were 57.41 years, 62.56 years, 64.73 years, and 59.28 years, respectively. Female (59%) was slightly more preponderance over the male (41%) for SGC than other malignancies. Pigmentation was associated with malignant melanoma (100%) and BCC (81%). Statistically, a significant difference was found between eyelid malignancies, including location, size, pigmentation, recurrence, and invasiveness. The recurrence rate was low lower in the patients who underwent frozen section biopsy (3%) for margin clearance than those who underwent excision biopsy (21.5%) in the follow-up time. Conjunctival map biopsy (8%) was performed as an essential tool for excluding the pagetoid spread of SGC. A new reconstruction method named triangular-shaped musculocutaneous tail flap was performed in 33 (11%) patients to reconstruct the moderate eyelid defect following local resection.

Conclusion

Sebaceous gland carcinoma (SGC) was the highest occurrence found to be the highest occurrence among all eyelid malignancies in Bangladesh. SGC is more aggressive and the recurrence rate was higher than BCC and SqCC.

Outcomes of adjunctive therapies post hedgehog inhibitors in the management of locally advanced basal cell carcinoma: A systematic review and pooled analysis

Management of patients with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma (laBCC) with traditional strategies has yielded suboptimal outcomes. Targeted treatments including hedgehog inhibitor therapy (HHIT) present limitations when utilized as monotherapy. Herein, we report evidence-based outcomes from available literature on multimodality treatments adjuvant to HHIT in laBCC management. Utilizing a systematic search strategy in PubMed, we identified studies published from inception to April 15, 2020, screened for definitive inclusion/exclusion criteria, and performed individual study quality assessment and pooled analysis to assess impact of adjunctive treatment-based responses post-HHIT on clinical response and recurrence outcomes. Twenty-nine studies (n = 103) were included. Primary findings include a complete response (CR) rate of 90.5%, the median follow-up of 12 months post-HHIT completion. The recurrence rate was 10.8% with 12-month median time to recurrence. Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) had 100% CR post-HHIT, while no difference was observed between surgery and radiation therapy (RT). MMS and surgery had comparable 2-year recurrence free rates (RFR) at 87% and 86% respectively, while RT had the lower 2-year RFR at 67%. Male gender portended a more advanced stage at diagnosis and worse outcomes. In a subset analysis, periorbital laBCCs with orbital involvement had a CR rate of 81.8% versus 100% in those without orbital involvement, with similar rates of recurrence. Limited available quantitative data and possible publication bias were limitations. Pooled analysis of observational data supports use of adjunctive therapies post-HHIT to improve treatment response in patients with laBCC. Longer-term follow-up is needed to study recurrence rates after combination therapy.

RECURRENT PERIOCULAR BASAL CELL CARCINOMA. CASE REPORT

AIM

We present the management of a severe case of recurrent periocular basal cell carcinoma, orbital invasion and exenteration.

CASE REPORT

The present case is of a recurrent basal cell carcinoma in a 84-year-old male presenting with non-healing lesion above right eyelid. A tumor excision was performed in May 2014. Histopathology revealed a basal cell carcinoma (dg. C44.1 ICD-10-CM) with positive margins. The re-excision of the lesion was performed. After two years, there was a local recurrence and orbital invasion. Indication for external curative radiation therapy. Plastic surgery of the upper eyelid. Orbital exenteration was indicated in January 2018. After another year, a recurrence of the tumor was once again noted. Histopathology revealed a basal cell carcinoma (dg. C44.1 (TNM 7, pMx, pNx, pTx)). The patient was indicated for external radiotherapy. There were no indications for biological treatment. After another year, a progression of the local finding was noted.

CONCLUSION

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common non-melanoma skin cancer of the periocular region. Primary treatment of basal cell carcinoma is surgical. Advanced lesions require extensive surgical interventions and other available treatment modalities. In some cases, mutilating surgery - exenteration of the orbit is inevitable. Despite a relatively small percentage of invasive diseases today, advanced stages may still occur; either as a result of the patient&#39;s late presentation, inadequate initial therapy aimed at maintaining critical periorbital structures, or due to high tumor aggression. The case report highlights necessity of radical resection of primary tumor with histological examination.