[Sclerokeratitis and invasive conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma].

PURPOSE/

METHODS

To describe one case of invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva in a 74-year-old woman, who two years previously had presented with a lesion which appeared to be an anterior nodular scleritis.

RESULTS/

CONCLUSIONS

An anterior nodular scleritis, which did not respond to therapy, preceded the development of a squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva adjacent to it. In our patient, the conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma could have masqueraded as a scleritis, delaying the correct diagnosis and allowing orbital spread of the tumor. A diagnosis of neoplasia must be considered when a scleritis shows an atypical appearance or does not respond to the usual therapy.