Epithelial tumors of the lacrimal gland in the Chinese: a clinicopathologic study of 298 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the clinicopathologic characteristics and clinical features of epithelial tumors of lacrimal gland in China.


METHODS
The retrospective case series study included all 298 patients of epithelial lacrimal gland tumors which had been collected in the ophthalmic pathologic laboratory of the Tongren Hospital Beijing in the study period from 1961 to 2005.


RESULTS
Pleomorphic adenomas were the most common tumors (n = 213 (72%)), followed by adenoid cystic carcinoma (n = 58 (20%)), pleomorphic adenocarcinoma (n = 13 (4%)), primary adenocarcinoma (n = 8 (3%)) and other tumors (n = 6 (2%)). The most frequent symptoms and clinical signs were restrictions of the lid or eye motility (121 patients; 41%), any other kind of lid involvement (71 patients; 24%), swelling (57 patients; 19%), pain (57 patients; 8%), and decrease in vision (15 patients; 5%). A restriction of the eye motility was noted for 61 patients (21%), due to an involvement of the extraocular muscles with the tumor and due to a tumor-induced displacement of the globe. Apart from the duration of symptoms, the tumor types did not vary significantly in age, gender, and laterality.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the archives of the Beijing Tongren ophthalmo-pathological laboratory, the most common epithelial tumors of the lacrimal gland in mainland China were pleomorphic adenomas, followed by adenoid cystic carcinoma. The spectrum and clinical signs of epithelial lacrimal gland tumors did not differ markedly between Chinese patients and Caucasian patients.
Zeng
Jie
J
Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Shi
Ji-tong
JT
Li
Bin
B
Sun
Xian-li
XL
An
Yu-zhi
YZ
Li
Liao-qing
LQ
Gao
Fei
F
Xu
Jian-ping
JP
Jonas
Jost B
JB
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology*; D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007766:Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution