Basaloid Squamous Cell Carcinoma Involving the Orbit: A Case Report

This report describes a case of an intraorbital basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) that led to blindness in the affected eye and to severe deformation of the orbit. The patient, a 63-year-old man, presented with a two-month history of left periorbital pain and progressive vision loss in his left eye. His ocular history was pertinent for trauma to his left upper eyelid 10 years prior to presentation, resulting in a scar. He noted that the orbital tumor started with ulceration in the area of the scar two years prior to his presentation to our clinic. The patient had a history of a 40-pound weight loss and headaches in the two months prior to his evaluation. He delayed seeking treatment because of various social and mental health circumstances. An examination of the left orbit was remarkable for extensive erosion of the orbital rim, with crust, areas of necrosis, absence of orbital fat and soft tissue structures, absence of eyelids, injected conjunctiva, corneal conjunctivalization, and phthisic changes. A biopsy revealed squamous cell carcinoma with basaloid features. Subsequently, the patient was advised to undergo exenteration of the painful blind eye. He instead underwent systemic chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such documented case.