Benign calcifying epithelioma.

A BENIGN calcifying epithelioma is a subcutaneous tumour, first described by Malherbe and Chenantais (1880), who called it l'epitheliome calcifie des glandes sebacees. Malherbe (1881, 1905) added more details, but only four examples of such tumours have been reported in the ophthalmic literature (Ashton, 1951; Kornblueth and Liban, 1955). Histological examination of material from the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford and from the Oxford Eye Hospital makes it seem probable that these benign tumours are more prevalent than the published reports would lead one to suppose. The present report is of 35 examples of such tumours, thirteen having been near the eye. Many of the earlier papers on the subject came from German and French authors; the first extensive review in English was that of Ch'in (1933), who quoted 116 examples from the literature and added ten of his own. C6te (1936) later reported on a further twelve cases. Muehlon (1942) reviewed 85 cases. More recently, Lever and Griesemer (1949) described fifteen of their own cases and fully discussed the differential diagnosis, histology, and possible histogenesis. The findings of these authors are summarized in Table I, where enough information was available. It will be seen that more tumours occur in the younger age groups and that they are commoner in females than in males. In some cases multiple tumours have been '1 SITE, AGE, AND SEX DISTRIBUTIC