Epithelial tumours of the lacrimal gland

This paper reports a histopathological and follow-up study of 54 cases of epithelial tumours of the lacrimal gland. The findings confirm the view that accurate histological diagnosis is a reliable guide to the prognosis of these tumours and, therefore, to their clinical management. Since a thorough histological examination is of such clinical importance, treatment of these particular neoplasms should not be based upon evidence obtained from frozen sections of biopsies taken during operation. The histological criteria are described and illustrated and the follow-up analyzed in detail. Benign mixed tumours were the most common (55.5%) followed by adenoid cystic carcinoma (24.1%), other carcinomas, including two mucoepidermoid tumours (16.6%) and malignant mixed tumours (37.7%). In this series the prognosis for benign mixed tumours was excellent, despite occasional benigh recurrences, whereas the prognosis in the carcinoma group was correspondingly poor. Adenoid cystic carcinoma was the commonest form of carcinoma and commoner in the lacrimal gland than elsewhere. Although they run a highly malignant course, one case in this series is alive and well, without recurrence, after 17 years, indicating that the prognosis may well be favourable, providing the initial growth can be completely extirpated. The treatment of these tumours, already well described by SANDERS et al. [1962] is briefly summarized.