A 62-year old male presented to the oncology center for evaluation of a painless, superficial nodular lesion over his left lower eyelid that had slowly grown over the course of approximately 18 months, to measure 4.0 × 2.0 cm. Patient gave history of a similar swelling at the same site which had appeared in July 2005 and after a similar slow, painless progressive increase in size, it had been excised in February 2006. The histopathology report from the previous surgery was not available for review. The swelling recurred within six months and displayed a painless, gradual, progressive increase in size till he presented at our center. On examination, he had a well-defined, irregularly marginated nodular lesion over the left lower eyelid []. The overlying skin was normal in appearance and freely mobile over the underlying nodular lesion except for an area of 1 × 1 cm at the lateral end, where the scar of the previous surgery was tethered to the mass. There was no regional lymphadenopathy. The lesion appeared free from the underlying orbital ridge. Fine needle aspiration cytology from this lesion reported a benign adenexal tumor. The lesion was excised with 5 mm margins under general anesthesia. The resultant defect involved the entire lower eyelid and was reconstructed by a Mustarde's cheek rotation flap. This was a large skin flap which was rotated from the cheek. Incision began at the lateral canthal angle, extending upward onto the temple, and swinging posteriorly just anterior to the ear and then inferiorly across the mandible []. Eight weeks postoperatively, there was marginal ectropion and lateral tissue sag []. Gross pathology revealed a subcutaneous nodule of tan, gelatinous tissue measuring 4 × 2 × 1.0 cm. Microscopic examination revealed a dermal tumor composed of epithelial cell islands surrounded by lakes of mucin consistent with the diagnosis of mucinous carcinoma []. The lateral margins were tumor cell-free but the deep resected margin was involved. A thorough search for other possible sources of mucinous adenocarcinoma was made. Upper and lower gastrointestinal study, contrast enhanced computer tomography study of the chest and abdomen, as well as a whole body Positron Emission Tomography scan were negative for any other primary.
A 40-year-old male consulted MDACC with a history of thickening of the left medial lower eyelid and enlargement of a caruncle. A CT scan of orbits and head and neck soft tissue demonstrated an enhancing and infiltrative mass along the inferomedial aspect of the left anterior orbit () and no evidence of facial or cervical lymphadenopathy. PET/CT scan performed in an outside facility did not detect second primary malignancy or metastatic disease. Radical surgical resection of the left orbital, eyelid, and lacrimal sac mass with intraoperative assessment of margins was performed. Grossly, the specimen measured 4.0 × 3.5 cm. Histopathologically, neoplastic cells forming a mass lesion adjacent to the punctum and infiltrating caruncle was seen (). Cords of pleomorphic cells with histiocytoid appearance infiltrating connective tissue and depicting vesicular nuclei, large nucleoli, and eosinophilic cytoplasm with intracytoplasmic vacuolization were identified ( inset). Perineural invasion was present. The patient underwent proton therapy and chemotherapy. Thirteen months after treatment, the patient had a left neck dissection with metastatic adenocarcinoma to two of six lymph nodes at level III.