Complete resolution of a large squamous cell carcinoma of the lacrimal duct in a young African American male after non-surgical management

Purpose: The following case describes a 28-year old African American male who presented with squamous cell carcinoma of the lacrimal duct. Despite its size and location, his tumor showed complete resolution with non-surgical treatment.

Observations: The patient presented with a 4-month history of dacryocystitis-like symptoms in the right eye, with no prior medical history and a history of tobacco smoking. Pathology indicated that SCC arose as nests within a benign sinonasal inverted papilloma. He received cisplatin chemotherapy and radiotherapy with tumor resolution in 4 months. Several months after the end of treatment, he experienced irreversible visual deterioration which led to enucleation of the right eye. The patient has remained in remission for 4 years following the treatment.

Conclusions: The complete resolution of the mass with non-surgical management supports the most recent literature endorsing a multidisciplinary approach for localized tumors. Our patient is the only African American identified in the literature and the youngest reported patient to present with this tumor. Most case studies have not emphasized race, ethnicity and demographics, although it is known that morbidity in malignancy is impacted by these factors.

Keywords: Eye neoplasms; Lacrimal apparatus diseases; Nasolacrimal duct pathology; Squamous cell carcinoma.