Lacrimal Sac Tumors: A Single-institution Experience, Including New Insights

BACKGROUND/AIM

Lacrimal sac tumors are rare tumor types, with a long time interval from disease onset to diagnosis. We aimed to investigate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with lacrimal sac tumors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The medical records of 25 patients with lacrimal sac tumors initially treated at the Kyushu university hospital from January 1996 to July 2020 were reviewed.

RESULTS

Our analysis included 3 epithelial benign tumors (12.0%) and 22 malignant (88.0%) tumors (squamous cell carcinoma, n=6; adenoid cystic carcinoma, n=2; sebaceous adenocarcinoma, n=2; mucoepidermoid carcinoma, n=1; malignant lymphoma, n=10). The average time from symptom onset to diagnosis was 14.7 months (median=8 months; range=1-96 months). The analysis of patients revealed that lacrimal sac mass (22/25, 88.0%) was the most frequent symptom and a possible tumor marker. Most epithelial benign (n=3) and malignant epithelial (n=12) tumors were treated surgically (14/15, 93.3%). One malignant case was treated with heavy ion beam therapy. Eight patients were treated with postoperative (chemo)radiation therapy because of positive surgical margins (including one unanalyzed case). Local control was ultimately achieved in all but one case. The patient survived for 24 months with immune checkpoint inhibitors and subsequent chemotherapy for local and metastatic recurrence.

CONCLUSION

We report our experience in the diagnosis and treatment of lacrimal sac tumors and analyze the clinical trends in cases involving these tumors. Postoperative radiotherapy and pharmacotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, may be useful for recurrent cases.

Orbital involvement in lacrimal drainage disorders

Lacrimal sac is situated anterior to the orbital septum, which acts as a barrier, thus limiting the posterior migration of the pathologies affecting the lacrimal drainage system. Certain pathologies can breach this barrier and secondarily involve the orbit causing significant clinical manifestations. This posterior migration of pathology also has a significant influence on the management and outcomes. The present paper will discuss the lacrimal pathologies which secondarily involve the orbit and its influence on the management and outcomes.

An Unusual Presentation of Large B-cell Lymphoma

Primary Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the lacrimal sac is extremely rare. Symptoms are usually atypical and nonspecific, which often leads to the original misdiagnosis of dacryocystitis. The most common presenting features are epiphora, swelling, and acute dacryocystitis. We present a case of a 67-year-old female with primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the lacrimal sac, which was originally diagnosed as dacryocystitis. This case report adds to the urgency that prompt and precise diagnosis and treatment is key.

Basaloid adenocarcinoma of the lacrimal sac: A rare entity and approach to management

Presented is a rare case of basaloid adenocarcinoma of the lacrimal sac. Low grade features of this malignancy permitted a conservative surgical approach to maximize functional and cosmetic outcomes. This is retrospective case description of a single 77-year-old-female patient who underwent a dacryocystorhinostomy with silicone tubes at an outside hospital for epiphora, but was referred to the Wills Eye Hospital Oculoplastics Department for a lacrimal sac biopsy showing low-grade carcinoma with basaloid features. She was treated with complete excision of the mass, common canaliculus and distal canaliculi, and the nasolacrimal duct. The associated maxillary, lacrimal, and ethmoidal bones were similarly excised. Frozen sections were sent of the surrounding periosteum, orbital fat, nasal and sinus mucosa, and soft tissues, and all were negative. Reconstruction of the lacrimal system was performed with silicone tube intubation and the defect was closed with large glabellar and mid-facial flaps. One year post-operatively she maintained a normal ocular examination, and her eyelids and silicone tubes were well positioned. Systemic evaluation remained unrevealing. Basaloid adenocarcinoma of the lacrimal sac is relatively rare, and we highlight the role of a more conservative surgical intervention given the high rates of survival and low incidence of progression to metastatic disease when treating this rare malignancy.

Lacrimal Sac Tumors--A Review

Tumors of the lacrimal sac are rare but their recognition and early management are imperative, as they are locally invasive and potentially life-threatening. Because of their rarity, large clinical studies with statistically significant data on the natural course, management, and prognosis of these neoplasms are unavailable. Current practices are therefore based on a few case series and a small number of isolated case reports. Most tumors are primary and of epithelial origin (60-94%), of which 55% are malignant. Lacrimal sac tumors typically present with epiphora and a palpable mass over the medial canthus and are thus often erroneously diagnosed as chronic dacryocystitis. A full history with clinical and diagnostic workup is essential to plan treatment, which is often multi-disciplinary. Statistically significant associations have been shown with higher tumor staging and size with increased metastatic risk and lower survival rates. Management usually involves complete surgical resection with adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy for malignant lesions. Long-term follow-up is required, as recurrences and metastases can occur many years after initial treatment.