Preinvasive and invasive malignant lesions and nonmalignant-SOL of eye and its adnexa

Introduction: Our aim was to describe and compare the epidemiological characteristics, morphology and clinico-pathological correlation of patients with preinvasive and invasive malignant lesions and nonmalignant space occupying lesions (nonmalignantSOL) of eye and its adnexa as seen in Ahmedabad, India from 2008 to 2010. Materials and methods: We analysed 144 surgical specimens of the eye and its adnexa lesions seen over a three year period. Of these 144 cases, 110 histologicaly proved cases of preinvasive and invasive malignant lesions and nonmalignant-SOL were included in the study. Results: This study included 110 patients of which 51.86% were male and 48.2% were female. Bimodal peaks in incidence of ophthalmic lesions was seen; one peak in below 10 years age and another after 40 years age. Eyelid (47%) was the most commonly affected site. Lympho-vascular hamartomas (12.7%) were most frequent nonmalignant-SOL. Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) was the commonest group of neoplastic lesions (13.4%). Malignant and non malignant cases were (38.2%) and (62.8%) respectively. Incidence of cases with malignant lesions was sharply increased after 40 years of age. The most common cancer was meibomian gland carcinoma (9.1%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (8.2%). Conclusion: Multiple factors such as location of eye affected by the lesion, age and sex of patient, geographical, racial and environmental conditions determine the frequency and variability of eye lesions; and awareness to these factors can augment clinical and histology diagnosis correlation. Histopathological examinations of excised or incised orbital or ocular lesions are absolutely mandatory to come to a definitive diagnosis.