Metastatic extraocular sebaceous carcinoma: a case report and review of literature

Abstract Background: Sebaceous carcinomas are rare, aggressive, malignant tumors that arise from sebaceous glands. They can be ocular or extraocular. They exhibit a variety of histologic growth patterns and diverse clinical presentations. Metastases are rarely reported.Observation: A 79 year old woman presented to our department with a quickly enlarging nodule involving the mid part of her forehead 2 weeks before admission. Histological examination found a sebaceous carcinoma. The patient underwent a total excision of the lesion, and was scheduled for Radiotherapy. She was lost to follow and returned 6 months later with a right latero cervical mass related to lymph node metastasis.Conclusion: Extraocular sebaceous carcinomas represent about 25% of all sebaceous carcinomas. The available literature on treatment recommends wide surgical excision with tumor-free margins with removal of regional lymph nodes, followed sometimes by adjuvant radiotherapy. Unlike our case where the evolution was quickly aggressive, these tumors were classically considered to be a less offensive neoplasm than their ocular equivalent.