Sebaceous gland carcinoma of the eyelid.

A 37-year old woman had received multiple radiation treatments between the ages of 6 months and 15 years for an extensive cavernous hemangioma of the left side of the face. At the age of 27 years, a biopsy specimen from a lesion of the left buccal commissure disclosed squamous cell carcinoma arising in chronic radiodermatitis. Multiple cutaneous lesions were excised surgically, and extensive skin grafting of the left side of the face was performed. At the age of 35, she developed a tumor of the left upper and lower eyelids that extended into the orbit, which proved to be a sebaceous gland carcinoma. Following left orbital exenteration, the tumor promptly recurred in the socket. The patient died with widespread metastatic lesions nine months after exenteration. This case, which, to our knowledge, represents the fourth example of postradiation sebaceous gland carcinoma of the eyelids, differs from the previously reported cases in that the radiation therapy had been given for a benign cutaneous condition.