Microsoft Word - Tahira Soomro 7 203 Original Article Frequency and Morphological Patterns of Malignant Intra Orbital Tumors in Various age Groups Tahira Soomro, Shahnaz Imdad Kehar, Mohammad Anwar Pak J Ophthalmol 2011, Vol. 27 No. 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . See end of article for authors affiliations …..……………………….. Correspondence to: Tahira Soomro Department of Pathology BMSI JPMC, Karachi Submission of paper June’ 2011 Acceptance for publication November’ 2011 …..……………………….. Purpose: To determine the frequency and morphologic types of intraorbital tumors. Material and Methods: A retrospective study conducted at the department of pathology Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi. All intraorbital lesions received over a period of 5 years i.e. from Jan 2005 to Dec 2009 were reviewed. All specimens were formalin fixed, routinely processed for paraffin embedding, sectioned and finally stained with haematoxylin and eosin using standard procedures, when required special stains were performed. Results: During study period total of 360 cases of intra orbital lesions were received. Out of, which 115 (31.9%) were non-neo plastic and 245 (68.0%) were neo plastic lesions. Retinoblastoma and squamous cell carcinoma were the most common malignant intraocular and intraorbital tumor with mean age of presentation 4 years and 55 years respectively. Remaining cases include 16 cases of intraepithelial dysplasia, 10 cases of rhabdomyosarcoma, 6 cases each of sebaceous carcinoma and malignant lymphoma, 4 cases each of malignant melanoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma, 3 cases of optic glioma and 1 case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Conclusion: A variety of tumors can involve the orbit. The incidence of neoplastic lesion exceeded that of non-neoplastic lesion. The data will be help full for ophthalmologist, pathologist and epidemiologist for comparison with other studies. he orbit is an anatomically complex structure containing different types of tissues. The structures present within the orbital cavity are the globe, lacrimal gland, extraocular muscles, smooth muscle, fibroadipose tissue, blood vessels, peripheral nerves, sympathetic ganglia, optic nerve and cartilaginous part of trochlea. The lacrimal gland is the only epithelial structure present within the orbit1,2. The orbital tumors present with a variety of sign and symptoms and are a great challenge for ophthalmologist in terms of diagnosis, imaging and management³. The presence of different structures within the orbit causes great confusion therefore systematic approach is necessary to classify the orbital tumors. The orbital cavity lesions vary from inflammation to different types of neoplastic lesions and greatly affect quality of life3,4. Schematically orbital tumors can be classified as primary, secondary and metastatic. The primary lesions originating from orbit itself include epithelial tumors such as squamous cell carcinoma arising from conjunctiva and mostly seen in elderly patients. Bone and soft tissue tumors including osteomas, fibrous dysplasia, aneurysmal bone cyst and osteogenic sarcoma are more common in younger age group. Among the lymphoid tumors and vascular tumors, hemangioma, lymphangioma, hemangioperi- T 204 cytoma and AVM of vessels are most common tumors in childhood. Nerve sheath tumors within the orbit give rise to neurofibroma, schwannoma and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. These tumors do not arise from optic nerve itself as schwann cells are not present, they arise from peripheral nerves which innervate the extraocular muscles. Secondary orbital lesion, which extend to orbit from neighboring structures include eyelid, conjunctiva, intraocular structures, paranasal sinuses and nasopharynx²,5. Metastatic tumors in children include neuroblastoma, Ewing’s tumor, Chloroma and Langerhan´s cell and histiocytosis. In adults the tumors which metastasize to the orbit are from breast, prostate, kidney and carcinoid tumors of lung and gastrointestinal tract1,2,6. Our study aims at reviewing the morphological pattern and determining the frequency of various intraorbitaltumors in different age groups. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective study was conducted at the depart- ment of pathology Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center to determine the frequency of intraorbital lesions received over a period of five years that is from January 01, 2005 to December 31, 2009. During this period total 399 cases were received. All specimens were formalin fixed, routinely processed for paraffin embedding, sectioned and finally stained with hematoxylin and eosin using standard procedures. When required, specials stains were performed. All lesions, which occupied the orbital cavity regardless of its site of origin were included. The lesions arising from orbital sides such as skin lesions from eyelids, which did not extend into orbital cavity, were excluded. RESULTS During the study period a totals of 399 cases were received out of which 39 were inconclusive due to inadequate material. Of the remaining 360cases, 115 (31.9%) were non-neoplastic and 245 (68.0%) were neoplastic lesions. The bulk of the non-neoplastic lesions consisted of cystic lesions with 54 cases (46.9%) (Table 1). The rest of cases comprised of inflammatory lesions 44 cases (38.2%), degenerative disorders 11 cases (9.5%), hemorrhage 04 cases (3.47%) and reactive hyperplasia 02 cases (1.7%). Among the neoplastic lesions, 51 cases of benign neoplastic lesions and 194 cases of malignant lesions were found. Table 2 shows benign neoplastic lesion. The most common benign neoplastic lesion found to be angiomatous lesion 22 cases (8.8%) followed by 07 cases of pleomorphic adenoma (2.8%). Remaining cases include 6 cases of schwannoma (2.4%), 04 cases of compound naevus (1.6%), 03 cases of menigioma (1.2%) and 02 cases each of neurofibroma and intradermalnaevus (0.8%). The rare cases include xanthomatous lesion, lipoma, cystic teratoma, hemartoma and dermolipoma. The most common malignant tumor found to be retinoblastoma 73cases (37.6%) with mean age was 3.76 years with equal male to female ratio 1:1 followed by squamous cell carcinoma 67 cases (34.5%) with a mean age 55 years and male to female ratio 1.79 (Table 3-5). Remaining cases included 16 cases of intraepithelial dysplasia (8.2%), 10 cases (5.15%) of rhabdomyosarcoma, 6 cases each of (3.09%) of sebaceous carcinoma, and malignant lymphoma, 4 cases (2.06%) each of malingnant melanoma, malignant fibrous, histiocytoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma, 03 cases (1.5%) of optic glioma, one case (0.5%) of mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Table 1: Non-neoplastic lesions, n = 115 Name of Lesion No. of Patients n (%) Cystic lesions 54 (46.9) Inflammatory 44 (38.2) Degenerative 11 (9.5) Hemorrhage 02 (1.7) Reactive hyperplasia 04 (3.47) Table 2: Benign neoplastic lesion, n = 51 Name of Lesion No. of Patients n (%) Angiomatous 22 (8.9) Pleomorphic adenoma 07 (2.8) Schwannoma 06 (2.4) Compound naevus 04 (1.6) Maningioma 03 (1.2) Neurofibroma 02 (0.8) Intradermalnaevus 02 (0.8) Miscellaneous 05 (2.04) 205 DISCUSSION Orbital tumors are an important cause of proptosis, which may result in loss of vision. Present study was designed to evaluate the various morphological patterns of intraorbital tumors and assess the frequencies of various tumors in different age groups. In our study, theincidence of neoplastic lesions exceeded that of non neoplastics lesions. Among the neoplatic lesions, the age distribution of patients showed two peaks one around 04 years and another around 55 years8-10. Of the patients with malignant ophthalmic tumors 58.7% were males and 41.2% females. A high percentage of malignant ophthalmic tumors was observed in paediatric age group due to retinoblastoma, which constituted 37%of all malignant ophthalmic tumors10,11,14. The average age of retinoblastoma was 3.8 years with equal male to female ratio. Studies done in both Pakistan and India also reported same age distribution but with male predominance,11,12 while in western countries the age of presentation is earlier. This earlier age of presentation in developed countries is probably due to better diagnostic facilities and increased awareness among public, which is lacking in our continent. Table 1: Malignant tumors Name of Lesion No. of Patients n (%) Retinoblastoma 73 (37.6) Squamous cell carcinoma 67 (34.5) Intraepithelial dysplasia 16 (8.2) Rhabdomyo sarcoma 10 (5.15) Sebaceous carcinoma 06 (3.09) Malignant lymphoma 06 (3.09) Malignant melanoma 04 (2.06) Adenoid cystic carcinoma 04 (2.06) Malignant fibrous histocytoma 04 (2.06) Optic Glioma 03 (1.5) Mucoepidermoid carcinoma 01 (0.5) Total 194 (79.18) Table 5: Distribution of malignant neoplastic lesion according to sex Name of Lesions No. of Patients Male Female M:F Ratio Retinoblastoma 73 36 37 1:1 Squamous cell carcinoma 67 43 24 1.79:1 Intra epithelial dysplasia 16 11 05 2.2:1 Rhabdomyosarcoma 10 05 05 1:1 Sebaceous carcinoma 06 02 04 1:2 Malignant lymphoma 06 06 0 6:0 Malignant melanoma 04 03 01 3:1 Adenoid cystic carcinoma 04 02 02 1:1 Malignant fibrous histiocystoma 04 03 01 3:1 Optic glioma 03 03 0 3:0 Mucoepidermoid carcinoma 01 01 0 1:0 Among the epithelial tumors, Squamous cell carcinoma originating from conjunctiva in adults contributing to 34% of malignant ophthalmic tumors closer to some studies12,13. However Singapore reports melanoma9 and Nepal reports Basal cell carcinoma11 as most common tumors. The mean age of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in our study was 55 yrs with male to female ratio 1.79:113. Intraepithelial dysplasia was seen predominantly in males mostly between 51-60 years as reported in other studies10. Sebaceous gland carcinoma mostly arises from meibomian gland within eyelid and also from the conjunctival epithelium constitutes (3.09%) of intra orbital malignant tumors. Due to its invasive nature, it is difficult to ascertain the exact origin. In the western population melanoma is one of the most common ocular malignancy. The frequency of malignant melanoma was relatively low in the present 206 Table 4: Distribution of malignant neoplastic lesions according to Age Name of Lesion No. of Patients 01 – 10 11 – 20 21 – 30 31 – 40 41 – 50 51 – 60 60 > Retinoblastoma 73 73 — — — — — Squamous cell carcinoma 67 — 2 7 6 9 19 24 Intra epithelial dysplasia 16 — — 1 3 2 8 2 Rhabdomyo sarcoma 10 9 1 — — — — — Sebaceous carcinoma 06 — — — — 2 1 3 Malignant lymphoma 06 — 1 — 1 1 — 3 Malignant melanoma 04 — — — — 1 2 1 Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma 04 — — 1 1 1 1 — Optic glioma 03 3 — — — — — — Adenoid cystic carcinoma 04 — — — 2 — 2 — Mycoepidermoid carcinoma 01 — — — — — — — Total 194 85 04 09 13 17 33 33 Fig. 1: Malignant Melanoma x 40 study. Ocular melanoma mostly effects white or lightly pigmented individuals and rarely occurs among Asian or black population14. We found 2.1% of our study cases to be malignant melanoma. These findings are closer to study in subcontinent10 but in contradiction to studies done in Singapore and Taiwan9,14 the frequency is lower. Fig. 2: Retinoblastoma x 40 Among the mesenchymal tumors, Rhabdomyosar- coma was observed as 5.15% in 1 to 10 yrs age group, which is lower in comparison with other Pakistani studies12. The reason for lower number of cases might be due to the fact that our study is limited to a single medical institute. In adults, the most common 207 mesenchymal tumor was found to be malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Our experience regarding malignant lymphoma show only 3.06% with mean age at diagnosis was 49 yrs. These results are also lower than other studies12,14. Fig. 3: Hemangiopericytoma x 40 Fig. 4: Benign Angiomatouslesion x 40 Among the neuroepithelial tumors, optic glioma constitutes 1.5% of malignant cases and found to be closer to other study in Pakistan8. CONCLUSION Retinoblastoma was the most common ocular malignant tumor in paediatric age group in our study. Squamous cell carcinoma is the commonest intra orbital malignancy in the older population. This data provides help and in also useful for clinicians and ophthalmologist for future references. Author’s affiliation Dr. Tahira Soomro M. Phil Student Department of Pathology, BMSI JPMC, Karachi Dr. Shahnaz Imdad Kehar Associate Professor Department of Pathology, BMSI JPMC, Karachi Dr. Mohammad Anwar Assistant Professor Department of Pathology, BMSI JPMC, Karachi REFERENCE 1. Mercandetti M, Cohen AJ. Tumors, Orbital. Available at http//emedicine.medscape.com. 2. Cummings TJ. Advances in orbital tumors.www.uscap.org. 3. Darasut TE, Lanzino G, Lopes MB, et al. An introductory overview of orbital tumors. Neurosurgical Focus. 2001; 10: 1. 4. Kumar R, Adhikari RK, Sharma MK, et al. Pattern of ocular malignant tumors in Bhairahwa, Nepal. TheInt J Ophthalmol and Visual Science. 2009; 7. 5. 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