Epidemiological study of benign tumors and inflammatory pseudotumors of the eye and its adnexa

PURPOSE: Benign tumors and the inflammations of the eye and its adnexa are about twice as frequent as malignant tumours. Because of the aesthetic value or functional importance and the diagnostic difficulties that they can induce, we thought it interesting to conduct an epidemiological study including the localization and the different histological forms of benign tumors and inflammations of theeye. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was carried out for a period of 70 years between 1925 and 1995, utilizing case histories and results of the histological examinations of the Pathology Department of the Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts in Paris. The statistics included the histological diagnostic, the localization and the civil data. RESULTS: Benign tumors and inflammations of the eye and its adnexa corresponded respectively to 25.9% and 7.1% of the histological results accomplished in the laboratory. Papilloma (31.4%) and cysts (28.2%) were the most frequent benign tumors. Chalazions represent the most frequent aetiology of inflammation (49%), followed by granuloma (30%). Our results are compared to those of other laboratories. CONCLUSION: While malignant tumors account for the majority of endo-ocular tumors, benign tumors and inflammatory processes are almost always extra-ocular involving the conjunctiva and the eye lids (in particular the inferior eye lid). Papilloma and cysts together account for about 50% of the benign tumors and inflammations of the eye.