Basal cell carcinoma of the eyelids: a review of patients treated by surgical excision.

A study of 107 cases of basal cell carcinoma involving the eyelids in 106 patients all treated by surgical excision was undertaken. The lesions were found predominantly in Caucasians, showed no sex predilection (except for the fact that all five cases under age 40 occurred in females), and were most prevalent in the 7th decade of life. The most common presenting symptom was a mass or growth, while the duration of symptoms of any kind referable to the tumor was 20 months. The lower lid was the most common site of involvement, followed in order of frequency by the upper lid, medial canthus, and lateral canthus. Excised lesions that show marginal involvement histopathologically will not necessarily clinically recur, although this study did show that incomplete excision will more likely show a clinical recurrence in previously treated rather than primary lesions. If basal cell carcinomas of the eyelid are fully surgically excised as a first procedure, the patient will have about a 99% cure rate. Lesions requiring orbital exenteration are rare.