title: Clinical factors associated with malignancy and HIV status in patients with ocular surface squamous neoplasia at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Tanzania.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the clinical characteristics of ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) in a sub-Saharan referral hospital setting according to histopathological diagnosis and HIV status.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients were enrolled who presented consecutively to the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College eye department with lesions suspected to be OSSN from September 2005 to May 2007 and from February 2008 to September 2008. Clinical characteristics were documented on a standardised form, excision biopsies were performed and histopathological diagnosis was obtained on all cases. Data were analysed to look for associations among various factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  150 patients were enrolled. Histopathological study showed OSSN in 88% of cases. Of these, 128 (85.6%) were under the age of 50 years and 60% were HIV positive. The median CD4 cell count was 71 cells/μl among HIV-positive cases. Independent of size, the lesions of patients who were HIV positive were more likely to be higher grade malignancy than those who were HIV negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a sub-Saharan setting, OSSN occurs in persons who are younger than in industrialised countries and is often associated with HIV positivity. CD4 cell counts indicate that a majority of HIV-positive patients with OSSN are significantly immunosuppressed at presentation. Higher grade malignancy in this group could indicate a more aggressive course.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, PO Box 3010, Moshi, Tanzania. miirmi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Irma Illyes
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Makupa
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Swai
authors.forename: William Uforo
authors.initials: WU
authors.lastname: Makupa
authors.forename: Valerie A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lewallen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016519:Hospitals, Religious; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult