Survey of 274 patients with conjunctival neoplastic lesions in Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran 2006–2012

PURPOSE: To evaluate conjunctival epithelial neoplastic lesions in a 7-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of all primary cases of conjunctival neoplasia diagnosed in the Pathology Department of Farabi Eye Hospital were analyzed. RESULTS: The patient group consisted of 179 (65.3%) males and 95 (34.6%) females, with an age range of 14–90 years and a mean age of 57.9 years. The most common primary conjunctival epithelial neoplastic lesion was invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (40.8%), followed by dysplasia (17%), papilloma (16.4%), In situ SCC (16%), actinic keratosis (7.3%), basal cell carcinoma (0.7%), xeroderma pigmentosum (0.7%), and mucoepidermoid carcinoma (0.3%). Of 274 lesions, 47 (17.1%) were benign, 159 (58%) were malignant, and 68 (24.8%) were precancerous. Compared to the results of a previous study of this center (1990–2004), the incidence of precancerous lesions has slightly increased whereas the incidence of SCC has decreased (22.1% vs. 24.8% and 59% vs. 40.8%, respectively). CONCLUSION: SCC is the most common conjunctival epithelial neoplasm in this study, and its prevalence in males is nearly two times higher than in females. The high percentage of squamous cell carcinoma can likely be attributed to elevated sun exposure and ultraviolet light in Iran.