- Cataract
- Glaucoma
- Eyelid Surgery
- Cosmetic Treatments
- Refractive Surgery
- Eye Conditions
Tumour Types
Premalignant Tumours
Premalignant disease is increasingly common with age, particularly in fair-skinned individuals. Lesions include:
This term, otherwise known as ‘solar keratosis’, describes sun damage of the superficial layers of the skin, which can progress to squamous cell carcinoma. It often appears as a scaly, crusty growth on the skin surface.
It appears as a slow growing red, scaly patch of skin. It is sometimes referred to as ‘squamous cell carcinoma in situ’ and is caused by the abnormal growth of cells called keratinocytes. These are cells in the outer layer of the skin (epidermis). About 4 % of these lesions progress to squamous cell carcinoma .
This is a slowly spreading superficial skin pigmentation, which converts to invasive melanoma in about a third of patients.
Malignant Tumours
The vast majority (accounting for over 90% of cases) of malignant tumours affecting the eyelids are basal cell carcinomas; they are often referred to as BCCs or rodent ulcers. This is a cancer of the basal cells, found at the bottom of the epidermis (the top layer of your skin).
BCCs grow very slowly and have virtually never spread to other parts of the body. Over several months or years, an increase in size may cause them to distort or destroy the normal shape of the eyelid. Therefore, it is important that they are removed early.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
The next most common malignant tumour of the eyeids is a squamous cell carcinoma, or SCC. It is a cancer of the squamous cells at the base of the epidermis. They are slow growing, red, scaly lesions which can bleed and have a low potential for metastasis to other parts of the body.
Melanoma
Melanoma accounts for a small proportion of cancers around the eyelids. However, they can be aggressive and do metastasise.
It is a cancer of the melanocyte cells, which produce the brown pigmentation of the skin including freckles, moles and a suntan.
Melanomas can develop in normal skin or in a pre-existing mole. Suspicious changes include an increase in size or change in shape, darkening colour, itching, bleeding or surrounding inflammation.