Primary basal cell carcinoma of the caruncle: case report and review of the literature

Roque-Choque, Elizabeth Cecilia; Villalobos-Espinoza, Jorge Ramiro; Silva-Ocas, Isabel; Alvarado-Villacorta, Rosa; Muro-Mansilla, Pedro

doi:10.5935/0004-2749.2022-0357

Contact

Submission

Youtube

Open Access

Peer-Reviewed
Relato de Caso

Primary basal cell carcinoma of the caruncle: case report and review of the literature

Elizabeth Cecilia Roque-Choque^1,2; Jorge Ramiro Villalobos-Espinoza^1,3; Isabel Silva-Ocas^4,5; Rosa Alvarado-Villacorta^6,7; Pedro Muro-Mansilla^4,8

DOI: 10.5935/0004-2749.2022-0357

ABSTRACT

We present a rare case of primary caruncle basal cell carcinoma (BCC), a condition with limited occurrences. Our patient, an 80-year-old woman without prior ocular pathological history, presented a 2x2mm pedunculated blackish nodular lesion on the caruncle of her left eye, without local conjunctival or cutaneous involvement. Histological analysis following complete excision confirmed the presence of basal cell carcinoma within the caruncle. Over a span of 30 months, no recurrence has been observed. While scant cases are documented in the literature, we conducted a review of these instances. Despite its infrequent manifestation, this condition should be taken into account when evaluating caruncular tumors, given its tendency to invade the orbit. Complete excision with free surgical margins is the treatment of choice, and adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy might be considered.

Keywords: Conjunctival diseases; Eye neoplasms; Sebaceous gland neoplasms; Conjunctival neoplasms; Carcinoma, basal cell; Diagnosis, differential; Humans; Case reports