A Case of Primary Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Lower Eyelid

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To report a rare case of a recurrent painless mass of the right lower eyelid, which was histologically diagnosed as a mucinous adenocarcinoma. CASE SUMMARY: A 59-year-old male had a painless nodule on the right lower eyelid for 2 years. He had a history of five laser treatments done by a dermatologist prior to the initial presentation. Surgical shave biopsy was performed and a histopathological examination revealed a mucinous adenocarcinoma. We subsequently performed a pentagonal excision of the lower eyelid with assisted frozen biopsy until no tumor cells were seen at the margin. A postoperative whole-body positron emission tomography scan, chest computerized tomography, gastrointestinal endoscopy, and colonoscopy excluded systemic metastases. No recurrence has been observed for 18 months after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Primary mucinous adenocarcinoma is a rare disorder of the eyelid. Because it has various morphologies, and the final diagnosis can only be made by histopathological examination. If there is a recurrent mass at the eyelid margin, adenocarcinoma should be considered as the differential diagnosis. A complete surgical excision is recommended to prevent local recurrence.