Sebaceous cell carcinoma of the eyelid and the human immunodeficiency virus

Patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at increased risk for developing malignancies, which are acquired at a younger age and are more aggressive. Sebaceous cell carcinoma is a rare eyelid tumor typically occurring in the seventh decade of life. We report two cases of sebaceous cell carcinoma in young HIV-infected patients.

Case series and review of the literature. We describe two HIV-infected patients with sebaceous cell carcinoma of the eyelid and caruncle. The first patient was a 36-year-old woman with a 9-month history of an enlarging right lower eyelid mass. The second patient was a 34-year-old man with a 6-month history of an enlarging right caruncular mass.

Biopsy showed both masses to be sebaceous cell carcinoma. The first patient underwent Mohs' micrographic excision of the lesion followed by reconstruction of the full-thickness eyelid defect with a combination of tarsoconjunctival and myocutaneous advancement flaps. The second patient underwent exenteration because of orbital involvement.

Sebaceous cell carcinoma should be considered for any suspicious eyelid lesion in young HIV-infected patients.