Conjunctival Carcinomas Arising in the Anophthalmic Socket

The aim of this study was to report management and outcomes of patients in which conjunctival carcinomas arose in the anophthalmic socket.

The authors retrospectively analyzed the data of patients which presented the anophthalmic socket after surgery. The clinical records of 4 patients with histological diagnosis of conjunctival carcinoma in the anophthalmic socket, referred to our Department, between January 2014 and December 2019 was collected.

The study included 4 men (median age 58 years). A previous enucleation surgery had been performed in all patients due to previous ocular trauma for three patients (Case 1, 3, and 4) and due to a retinoblastoma for 1 patient (Case 2). All patients underwent surgical excision of the lesion and only 1 patient (case 3) underwent orbital exenteration due to the high-grade of the cancer. The most common tumor was the squamous cell carcinoma (2 cases) followed by 1 case of high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma and 1 case of carcinoma in situ. Systemic work-up was performed for all the patients. Conjunctival TNM, according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging system was used to stage the lesions. The median follow-up time was 15 months.

Considering the severity and rarity of these tumors, a careful ophthalmological examination of the cavity and a correct revision of the prosthesis should be mandatory in order to ensure the elimination of any macro and microscopic irregularities that can then in the long-term cause chronic inflammation of the tissues and consequently promote the growth of carcinomas.