A clinical study of 97 Chinese inpatients with lacrimal gland lesions

Objective To investigate the clinical and histopathological features of lacrimal gland lesions of Chinese inpatients, their treatment and prognosis.
Methods The files of the inpatients with lacrimal gland lesions in Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University from 2003 to 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Further studies were made of all the cases with space occupying lesions of the lacrimal gland fossa, with the exception of those without surgery or without definite histopathologic outcomes.
Results Of the 97 cases (101 eyes), 44 (45 eyes) were male and 53 (56 eyes) were female patients. The patients range in age from five to ninety-one with an average of forty-five. 55 cases had lacrimal gland lesions in the right eye, 38 cases in the left eye, and 4 cases in double eyes. All the patients with lacrimal gland lesions were diagnosed with CT or B ultrasound, and treated with surgery. The final diagnoses were based on postoperative pathological results. Pleomorphic adenomas were the most common lesions (n=44, (44%)), followed by inflammatory pseudotumors (n=12, (12%)). Of the 44 patients with pleomorphic adenomas, 8 were relapsed cases. 5 of these 8 cases had malignant changes during their follow-ups. There were another 6 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma. During their follow-ups, 5 patients had metastasis and 2 patients died. There was a loss of a patient in the follow-up.
Conclusions Based on this study, the most common lacrimal gland lesion of the inpatients investigated is pleomorphic adenomas. Tumors of pleomorphic adenomas with several relapses or operations may lead to malignancies. Adenoid cystic carcinoma often have poor prognosis, accompanied with tumor metastasis.