A 5-year review of 1220 malignant periocular tumours in an English county

To determine the incidence, proportion and location of periocular tumours in an English county over a five year period, and compare to other studies in the UK and worldwide.

A retrospective review of histopathology reports was performed for all periocular excision biopsies of malignancies from the county's three main hospitals over a 5-year period. These hospitals cover a population of just over one million. Tumours were classified according to type and location.

1220 lesions were included in this study. Right-sided lesions were more common than left. The incidence of basal cell carcinoma was 22 per 100,000 and squamous cell carcinoma 1.3 per 100,000, which were found most commonly on the lower eyelid and eyebrow respectively. The incidences of all other types of lesions were less than 0.5 per 100,000 per year.

The incidence of periocular basal cell carcinomas in the predominantly elderly Caucasian population was at least three times the published national average. The high incidence of periocular tumours in this North East Anglian county is set to increase further as the proportion of over 65 year olds in the population is predicted to nearly double within two decades.