Incidence of Benign and Malignant Eyelid Tumors in Japan

Purpose: To report incidence of eyelid tumors and tumor-like lesions that were examined histopathologically.

Methods: We reviewed retrospectively 118 eyelid tumors that were examined histopathologically at the Department of Ophthalmology of Juntendo University School of Medicine over a 15-year period. The incidence of each disease and the rate of malignancy were investigated.

Results: The subjects included 47 males and 71 females, with an average age at removal of lesions 47.8 ± 23.7 years old. There were 106 benign tumors (89.8%), with the most common cases being 23 nevi, followed by 18 squamous cell papilloma, 14 seborrheic keratosis and 10 epidermal cysts. Among 12 cases (10.2%) with malignant tumors, the number of males was 4 and females 8. The malignant tumors consisted of basal cell carcinoma (4 cases), malignant lymphoma (3 cases), squamous cell carcinoma and sebaceous carcinoma (2 cases each), and Bowen’s disease (1 case). The average age at removal of the malignant tumors was 53.1 ± 20.7 years old, although the males were significantly younger than the females (33.8 ± 24.0 years old versus 62.8 ± 10.2 years old) (t-test, p<0.05).

Conclusions: Malignant tumors accounted for 10.2%, and the age at removal was younger in male.