Adjuvant radiotherapy for sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid after orbital exenteration

Surgical excision is an optimal treatment option for sebaceous carcinoma of the orbital region. As tumor recurrence in this region might compromise the survival and locoregional control of patients as well as the cosmetic results, adjuvant radiotherapy is suggested to patients with adverse pathological findings. Here we report a case of sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid that was treated using orbital exenteration and adjuvant radiotherapy. In 2011, a 54-year-old male was diagnosed with sebaceous carcinoma of the left eyelid, for which he underwent surgical excision of the lesion. After 4 years, recurrence was observed with pathological evidence. Severe deterioration of the left eye function made organ preservation of little significance to the patient himself; instead, minimizing the chances of future recurrences became his priority. The patient underwent orbital exenteration as a radical treatment approach. Postoperatively, the patient was administered adjuvant radiotherapy owing to a less than 1mm deep soft tissue margin and advanced T stage. For 3 months after radiotherapy, the patient was followed up at a radiation oncology clinic, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the orbit revealed no recurrence. The last follow-up at 15 months posttreatment revealed the stable condition of the treated area and no evidence of locoregional recurrence. This patient has been followed up for 8 years since the diagnosis in 2011. This successful treatment response indicates that surgical intervention and adjuvant radiotherapy with appropriate doses could be considered in patients with sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid.