[Cystic adenocarcinomas of the lacrymal gland].
Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland.


BACKGROUND
Adenoid cystic carcinoma is the most frequent epithelial tumour of the lacrimal gland. It represents 1.6 % of the orbital tumours. The aim of this study is to present a series of such patients who were followed up in our clinic and to discuss their clinical management in order to achieve a better life prognosis.


METHODS
The cases we followed up in our department were presented, the treatment modalities were discussed, and conclusions were drawn.


RESULTS
Six patients with this pathology were examined, 3 men and 3 women, aged 31 to 69 years. A large excision was performed in 5 patients (exenteration alone or extended exenteration with complementary radiotherapy) and in 1 patient with excision of the tumour followed by radiotherapy. One patient died due to carcinoma six years after the first surgery. The median follow-up period of our cases is 25 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland is a malignant tumour with a reserved prognosis. Various treatments were proposed to improve the mortality rate of the disease. At present radical surgery with or without complementary therapy seems to give the best chances of healing, at least with short or mid-term follow-up.
Ducrey
Nicolas
N
Hôpital Jules Gonin, Service Universitaire d'ophtalmologie, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Villemure
Jean-Guy
JG
Jaques
Bertrand
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005137:Eye, Artificial; D005142:Eyelid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007766:Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017233:Orbit Evisceration; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies