Characterization of orbital tumors and simulating lesions diagnosed in a referral hospital in Colombia during 2010–2020: 84 cases

Abstract

Design: Observational, descriptive, and retrospective. Participants: A total of 84 patients diagnosed with tumor and simulating lesions in the ophthalmology unit ot the Hospital Universitario San Ignacio between 2010 – 2020. Methods: All patients with a ICD10 code according to tumoral or inflammatory disease of the orbit at Hospital Universitario San Ignacio between January 2010 and December 2020 were included, and the diagnosis was confirmed with the clinical history. Pathology was classified according to the histopathological report or definitive diagnosis made with diagnostic tests/imaging. Additionally, the following data were obtained: age, sex, history, evolution time, lesion origin (primary, invasion, or metastasis), laterality, location in relation to the muscular cone, lesion size, symptoms, signs, presence of adenomegaly, extension, diagnostic approaches, histopathological diagnosis, intra/extrahospital treatment, and outcome. A virtual data collection format was developed for data collection, with subsequent descriptive analysis reporting percentages. Results: In adult patients (over 18 years old), 60 lesions were diagnosed. The most frequent tumor pathologies in this group correspond to squamous cell carcinoma of the eyelid with invasion into the orbit, 6 cases (18.75%), cavernous hemangioma, 4 (12.5%), lymphoid tumors, 4 (12.5%), schwannoma, 2 (6.25%), and pleomorphic adenocarcinoma, 2 (6.25%). The main simulating lesion in the adult population corresponds to thyroid orbitopathy, which is attributed to 33.3% of all tumor or non-tumor lesions. In patients under 18 years of age, 24 lesions were diagnosed. The most frequent pathologies in this group corresponded to retinoblastoma, 11 cases (45.8%), rhabdomyosarcoma, 5 (20.8%), and cavernous hemangioma, 2 (8.3%). In patients under 18 years of age, 54.1% of cases resulted in loss of the eyeball. Conclusion: During the period from January 2010 to December 2020, 84 orbital tumors and simulating lesions were diagnosed. The most frequent tumor lesion in adults corresponds to squamous cell carcinoma of the eyelid with invasion into the orbit, and in patients under 18 years of age, it corresponds to retinoblastoma. Greater secondary loss of the eyeball is documented in this latter population group, requiring enucleation or evisceration in 54.1% of cases.

Keywords

• inflammatory orbital diseases
• orbital tumors
• retinoblastoma
• thyroid orbitopathy