title: Primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the orbital apex.
abstract: Adenoid cystic carcinoma is an uncommon malignant tumor of epithelial origin typically arising from salivary glands. Orbital involvement may occur via direct or perineural spread from a lacrimal gland or sinonasal source. Primary orbital adenoid cystic carcinoma without involvement of the lacrimal gland is rare. The authors report a 53-year-old woman who was examined for insidious monocular vision loss and was found to have a primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the orbital apex and cavernous sinus. Systemic workup for a primary source, including ipsilateral lacrimal gland biopsy, was negative. One must maintain a high index of suspicion for adenoid cystic carcinoma when evaluating orbital tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. ryan.walsh@uphs.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Ryan D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: M Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vagefi
authors.forename: Collin M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: McClelland
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alonso-Basanta
authors.forename: Jason G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Tunde
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Farkas
authors.forename: Madhura A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tamhankar
mesh_terms: D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009918:Orbital Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014792:Visual Acuity