Mucoepidermoid carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma of the lacrimal gland: A rare presentation

Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma in lacrimal gland is a rare entity unlike its salivary gland counterpart. This rare tumor poses a diagnostic challenge to clinicians as pre-operative diagnosis is difficult and diagnosis is only by careful pathological assessment. We report this uncommon lesion in a 62-year-old lady, wherein the malignant component was mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The elderly patient remained clinically and radiologically free of the tumor for two years after complete excision of the tumor but computed tomography at the end of two and a half years showed a recurrent lesion in the region of the lacrimal gland. This makes long term follow up of patients with these rare lacrimal tumors imperative with a minimum period of at least five years.