Lacrimal Gland Tumors Follow-up
- Author: Dan D DeAngelis, MD, FRCS(C); Chief Editor: Hampton Roy Sr, MD more...
Further Inpatient Care
- Hospitalization may be required if treatment with chemotherapeutic agents is needed.
Prognosis
- For pleomorphic adenomas, long-term studies reveal an increased incidence of malignant transformation (10% at 20 y and 20% at 30 y) associated with multiple recurrences for lesions that had frequent incisional biopsies and incomplete removal of the primary tumor.
- Annual follow-up care is suggested to monitor the effects of treatment and to observe for recurrence or systemic involvement.
- Systemic lymphoma develops in 20-30% of patients with malignant lymphoma of the lacrimal gland. Incidence is much higher if the initial presentation is with bilateral lacrimal gland involvement. Rasmussen et al discovered that malignant lymphoma of the lacrimal gland is fairly rare and is mostly found in elderly women; most lacrimal gland lymphomas are low grade, and the prognosis is relatively good.[2]
- Adenoid cystic carcinomas carry a poorer prognosis because of bony extension and perineural infiltration.
- These patients have a 50% at 5-year and 75% at 15-year mortality rate. Death commonly is due to intracranial spread and pulmonary metastasis.
- Histologic pattern also is of prognostic significance with a cribriform pattern having a 70% at 5-year survival compared to a 20% at 5-year survival with a basaloid pattern.
- A recent paper that reviewed 53 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma suggested that worse disease at time of diagnosis correlates with a poorer overall prognosis.[3]
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