Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the conjunctiva: a series of three cases

Abstract

Objective: To detail the clinical presentation and outcomes of currently available treatments for mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the conjunctiva (MCC).

Design: Retrospective noncomparative case series.

Participants: Three patients ranging from 40 to 63 years of age with MCC participated.

Intervention: Excisional biopsies and various therapies were performed.

Main outcome measures: Clinical and surgical outcomes were measured.

Results: Patient 1 is a 55-year-old man with right temporal MCC. He underwent two local excisions with adjuvant cryotherapy and has had no recurrence at 31 months follow-up. Patient 2 is a 63-year-old man with right temporal MCC who underwent fractionated iodine 125 plaque radiotherapy. He had a recurrence approximately 8 months after plaque treatment and subsequently underwent enucleation of the right eye. Clinical follow-up examinations revealed no further recurrence at 17 months. Patient 3 is a 40-year-old woman treated for right MCC with carbon dioxide laser with recurrence at 3 weeks. She subsequently underwent radiation treatment with the development of regional lymph node metastases 16 months later.

Conclusions: MCC is a rare neoplasm that displays an extraordinary capacity for aggressive local invasion. This series of three case reports demonstrates the high recurrence rate of MCC and the response of this tumor to different current modalities of treatment. Extended follow-up is required with this tumor because distant metastases can occur very late.