[Conjunctival tumours in elderly patients].

The conjunctiva as a mucous membrane provides a protective barrier to the eye. It represents a small segment of the skin - the largest organ of the body, which has a size of about 1.7 square metres. For this reason conjunctival ageing is affected by equivalent processes as skin ageing. Common causes for these ageing processes are biological and genetic effects as well as environmental conditions and exposure to light. The resulting dysfunction in conjunctival homoeostasis and protective function represent common factors which contribute to increased incidences of tumours and malignant transformations in elderly patients. At the time of tumour manifestation the patient's age is an important parameter for differential diagnosis and regimen strategy. All therapeutic options (surgical incision or excision, cryotherapy, chemo- or radiotherapy, exenteratio orbitae etc.) have to be determined individually depending on clinically relevant findings and previous anamnesis. Due to the patient's age geriatric aspects have to be considered in therapeutic management (tissue fragility, wound healing, multimorbidity, decreased adherence). (c) Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart New York.