Periocular basal cell carcinoma: 20-years experience at a tertiary eye care center of South India

Abstract

PURPOSE: To study the clinical profile and management outcomes of periocular basal cell carcinoma (BCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all histopathologically proven cases of BCC between 1995 and 2015 was done. The demographic data, clinical presentation, histopathological subtype, and management outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: We had a total of 185 malignant eyelid tumors during the study period, out of which 37 (20%) were BCC. Thirty-two (86.5%) out of 37 cases were primary BCC. The mean age was 63.3 years. Pigmented ulcerative lesion (14, 38%), lower eyelid (19, 51%), and nodular BCC (15, 40%) were the most common presentation, periocular site, and histological subtype, respectively. 28 patients underwent excision under frozen section with an average tumor-free margin of 3.5 mm. Mean follow-up period was 18.78 months. Recurrence rate of 0% and 3.1% was noted in primary and recurrent BCC, respectively. CONCLUSION: Periocular BCC commonly presents as pigmented ulcerative lesion in the lower lid. Excision biopsy under frozen section with an average tumor-free margin of 3.5 mm offers cure in most cases.

Keywords

• basal cell carcinoma
• frozen section
• periocular