Sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid associated with retinoblastoma

To analyze the association between retinoblastoma (Rb) and sebaceous carcinoma (SC) of the eyelid to improve surveillance of survivors of RB:

Case report and systematic literature review.

Ten patients who had SC develop after Rb were identified by systematic literature review, and a child who died with lymph node, lung, and liver metastases 7 years after irradiation for Rb is described. The data were analyzed by univariate statistics, including cumulative frequency distribution plots and Kaplan-Meier analysis.

Of 11 children with SC of the eyelid who all had hereditary RB, 9 (82%; 95% confidence interval, 48-98) received a median of 46 Gy (range, 21-89) of radiotherapy at a median age of 16 months (range, 0.5-15 years) and had SC develop within the field of radiation. Their median age at diagnosis of SC was 14 years (range, 8-30 years), median diagnostic delay 12 months (range, 6 months-3 years), and median interval from irradiation 11 years (range, 5-26 years); 7 of them (78%; 95% confidence interval, 40-97) were diagnosed between 5 and 15 years after radiotherapy. SC also developed at the age of 32 and 54 years in two nonirradiated Rb patients. Five patients had regional lymph node metastases after a median time of 12 months (range, 1 month-24 years). The 5-year cumulative probability of survival was 87%.

SC of the eyelid may occur in patients with hereditary Rb regardless of primary treatment, especially within the field 5 to 15 years after radiotherapy.