Clinicopathological Features of Ophthalmic Neoplasms Arising in the Setting of Xeroderma Pigmentosum.

BACKGROUND

Patients with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) are strongly predisposed to the development of numerous cutaneous cancers. However, the extent of ocular pathology in these patients has not been adequately studied.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of tumors involving the ocular surface and ocular adnexa from 6 XP patients. Histopathological evaluation and immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies directed against the most common mutated proteins in XP (XPA, XPC, and XPD).

RESULTS

Patients included 4 males and 2 females with a mean age of 20.8 years (range 10-31) who met the clinical criteria for XP and were found to have a total of 13 neoplasms involving the ocular surface and adnexal skin; 6 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), 3 cases of conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia, 2 malignant melanomas, 1 basal cell carcinoma, and 1 atypical fibroxanthoma. Complete XPD loss was present in two tumors from 1 patient, suggesting a germline defect, and in the invasive component of an SCC from a second patient, suggesting a somatic alteration. No clear pattern of loss for XPA or XPC was evident.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study outlines our early experience with the pathology of ocular neoplasms in XP patients. These findings deserve further exploration with genetic studies and additional patients.