title: Outcomes of malignant tumors of the lacrimal apparatus: the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant epithelial neoplasms of the lacrimal apparatus are rare and are typically treated with surgery and occasionally adjuvant radiation therapy (RT). The purpose of this study was to assess treatment outcomes by type of surgery (orbital exenteration vs eye-sparing surgery) and clarify the role of adjuvant RT for this rare disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-six patients with malignant epithelial neoplasms of the lacrimal apparatus were treated at a single institution from 1945 through 2008. Twenty-seven patients (59%) were treated with orbital exenteration and 19 (41%) with eye-sparing surgery; 64% of the orbital exenteration group and 83% of the eye-sparing surgery group also received adjuvant RT (median dose, 60 grays). Median follow-up time for all patients was 38 months (range, 3-460 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the orbital exenteration and eye-sparing surgery groups, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 59% and 62%, and the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 49% and 39%, respectively (P = .56, P = .35). Tumor status (T1-2 vs T3-4) was associated with OS (P = .02), and tumor size (<3.5 vs >3.5 cm) with DFS (P = .015). Median time to locoregional recurrence was 85 months for orbital exenteration, and 123 months for eye-sparing surgery. All patients who did not receive RT experienced local recurrence, and RT extended time to locoregional recurrence (median 460 vs 30 months, P = .009). Seven grade ≥3 complications were experienced after adjuvant RT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For appropriately selected patients, an eye-sparing surgery for lacrimal apparatus tumors can achieve similar survival outcomes to those in patients treated with an orbital exenteration. Adjuvant RT should be considered for all patients presenting with these rare tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA. sjfrank@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Heath D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: Adam S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Garden
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: K Kian
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Ang
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Bita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Esmaeli
authors.forename: Chelsea C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Pinnix
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Frank
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007766:Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D013781:Texas; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000528:radiation effects