Advanced ocular surface squamous cell carcinoma (OSSC): long-term follow-up

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Oncology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Ocular surface squamous cell carcinoma (OSSC) can involve periocular tissues and the orbit, necessitating evaluation of clinical characteristics and prognosis.
• Advanced OSSC requires understanding long-term outcomes, including survival and recurrence rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze clinical features and long-term follow-up of patients with advanced OSSC involving periocular tissues and/or orbit.
• To determine overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and recurrence rate (RR).
• To correlate outcomes with tumor location, AJCC staging, histology, surgical margins, and treatment type.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series.
• Review of medical records for patients with OSSC involving periocular tissues/orbit from January 2011 to January 2020.
• Analysis of clinical data, treatment, and long-term outcomes.

Main Results:

• Thirty-six patients with OSSC were analyzed over a mean follow-up of 40 months.
• The overall recurrence rate was 64%; 5-year OS was 92.7% and 5-year DFS was 29.7%.
• Multicentric disease, inferior tarsus location, high-risk histology, positive margins, and excisional biopsy alone were associated with increased recurrence risk and poorer OS.

Conclusions:

• OSSC involving periocular tissues and/or orbit is aggressive with a high recurrence rate.
• Multicentricity, positive surgical margins, inferior tarsus localization, and lack of adjuvant therapy are key predictors of recurrence and prognosis.
• Early detection and comprehensive treatment strategies are crucial for managing this condition.