Conjunctival epithelial neoplasias in organ transplant patients receiving cyclosporine therapy.

PURPOSE: To report two cases of conjunctival epithelial neoplasias occurring after long-term systemic cyclosporine therapy in organ transplant recipients.

METHODS

Case report. Each patient underwent an excision of an extensive limbal conjunctival lesion, followed by a histopathologic analysis.

RESULTS

Histopathologic examination results revealed a carcinoma in situ and a squamous cell carcinoma in patients 1 and 2, respectively. Recurrence occurred in patient 1, who needed topical mitomycin C 0.02% treatment. No recurrence was observed in patient 2 after a follow-up of 24 months.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, these are the first reported cases of its kind after longterm systemic cyclosporine therapy. Further studies will be needed to determine the exact role of cyclosporine in the induction of conjunctival epithelial neoplasias and the need for regular ophthalmologic examination of transplant recipients.