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Purpose: To describe the clinical and pathologic characteristics of mucin-producing sweat gland carcinoma of the eyelid and to determine whether neuroendocrine differentiation is of prognostic significance., Design: Retrospective interventional case series., Methods: Search of the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary pathology database between 1990 and 2011 identified 16 patients with mucin-producing sweat gland carcinoma. Clinical, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical analyses were performed on all identified cases., Results: The patients presented with vascularized, focally cystic, nonulcerated eyelid margin lesions. Histopathologic evaluation showed that 4 lesions (25%) had a cystic, papillary, and solid growth pattern with an in situ component, 7 (44%) were pure invasive mucinous carcinomas, and 5 (31%) demonstrated both growth patterns. Immunohistochemical analysis of 15 tumors showed that pure cystic/papillary lesions had a significantly greater percentage of synaptophysin-immunoreactive cells (P = .036). There was no significant difference in the number of neuroendocrine markers expressed or in the intensity of immunostaining among the 3 different growth patterns. Re-excision for margin clearance was performed in 8 of 13 cases (61.5%). Two of 13 lesions recurred (15%); 1 of these was an in situ tumor with cystic morphology and neuroendocrine differentiation and the other was pure invasive mucinous carcinoma. None of the lesions metastasized., Conclusions: Mucin-producing sweat gland carcinoma pathologically represents a continuum, from an in situ lesion to a classic, invasive mucinous carcinoma. Immunohistochemical evidence of neuroendocrine differentiation can be observed in all lesions and does not appear to have a prognostic significance, arguing against the utility of immunohistochemical subtyping of mucinous sweat gland carcinomas., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To determine the reliability and role of conjunctival exfoliative cytologic and histopathologic diagnosis of biopsied tissue in ocular surface squamous neoplasia., Design: Retrospective review of an interventional case series of patients biopsied and treated for squamous conjunctival and corneal neoplasia., Methods: Forty-nine patients who underwent conjunctival cytologic analysis (n = 36), conjunctival biopsy (n = 35), or both were evaluated. For the purposes of this study, three ocular pathologists reviewed the results of cytologic and biopsied tissue in a masked fashion., Results: Evaluation of cytologic smears revealed a 91% concordance in interpretation of conjunctival cytologic material as no dysplasia vs dysplasia. The concordance dropped to 59% in grading the degree of dysplasia. The cytologic material was found to be inadequate for interpretation in 1 case. Evaluation of subsequent biopsy revealed a 98% concordance between the pathologists in interpretation of biopsied tissue as no dysplasia vs any degree of dysplasia. The concordance decreased to 83% in grading the degree of dysplasia. Cytologic evaluation was capable of distinguishing a neoplastic from nonneoplastic process before tissue biopsy in 80% of cases., Conclusions: Ocular surface cytologic analysis is a simple, safe, and relatively noninvasive diagnostic tool. It was found helpful in detecting dysplasia before surgical resection. It was used in the settings of recurrent tumor and for follow-up care of patients treated with topical chemotherapy. Although cytologic smears cannot replace incisional or excisional biopsy for definitive diagnosis, exfoliative cytologic analysis can play an important role in the diagnosis and management of patients with ocular surface squamous neoplasia.

Purpose: To describe the clinicopathologic findings in failed Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) grafts., Design: Retrospective, interventional case series., Setting: New York Eye and Ear Infirmary., Study Population: Twenty-one patients with 22 failed DSAEK grafts treated between March 1, 2006 and February 1, 2008., Intervention: Repeat DSAEK or penetrating keratoplasty were performed in the eyes with failed grafts. All failed grafts were examined histopathologically., Main Outcome Measures: Histopathologic parameters studied in failed DSAEK grafts included endothelial cell count, interface characteristics, retrocorneal membrane formation, inflammation, and immunoreactivity for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) antigen., Results: DSAEK failure was strongly associated with postoperative lenticle dislocation. Graft failure was primary in 19 DSAEKs and secondary to rejection, eccentric trephination with epithelial ingrowth, or bacterial infection in the remaining 3. All failed grafts demonstrated endothelial hypocellularity and stromal edema. Additional findings included stromal inflammation (68%), interface fibrosis (50%), retrocorneal membrane (36%), unplanned retention of Descemet membrane (14%), immunoreactivity for HSV-1 (14%), paucicellular stroma (14%), and uneven trephination with epithelial ingrowth (5%)., Conclusions: Most DSAEK failures are secondary to endothelial cell loss. Other contributing factors include interface fibrosis, retrocorneal membrane formation, retained host Descemet membrane, uneven trephination, epithelial ingrowth, graft rejection, and infection.

Purpose: To investigate racial and ethnic differences in the incidence of conjunctival melanoma in a large population-based study., Design: Observational cross-sectional study., Methods: Using data from 1992 through 2003 provided by the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, we calculated age-adjusted incidence rates of conjunctival melanoma in various racial and ethnic groups (Black, American Indian, Asian and Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White). In addition, we calculated the standard incidence ratios (risk ratios) and 95% confidence intervals to describe the differences within these racial and ethnic groups., Results: From 1992 through 2003, there were a total of 168 conjunctival melanomas diagnosed in 13 SEER registries with known racial and ethnic groups. The annual age-adjusted incidence rates (per million population) of conjunctival melanoma was 0.18 (Blacks), 0.17 (American Indians), 0.15 (Asians), 0.33 (Hispanics), and 0.49 (non-Hispanic Whites). The difference in the incidence of conjunctival melanoma between Whites and Blacks or Asians was statistically significant, but was not significant between Blacks and Asians., Conclusions: The overall White-to-Black incidence ratio in conjunctival melanoma was 2.6:1, which is much less than that of uveal melanoma (18:1) and cutaneous melanoma (13:1 to 26:1), but is similar to that of mucosal melanoma (2.2:1 to 2.3:1). The cause and significance of this difference of racial and ethnic incidence in various melanomas are discussed.

Purpose: To investigate racial/ethnic differences in the development of uveal malignant melanoma in a large population-based study., Design: Observational cross-sectional study., Methods: With the 1992 to 2000 data that was provided by the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, we calculated age-adjusted incidence rates of uveal melanoma in various racial/ethnic groups (black, Asian and Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white). In addition, we calculated the standard incidence ratio (risk ratio) and 95% confidence interval to describe the differences within these racial/ethnic groups., Results: From 1992 to 2000, there were a total of 1352 uveal melanomas that were diagnosed in 11 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries with known racial/ethnic groups. The annual age-adjusted incidence (per million population) of uveal melanoma was 0.31 (black), 0.38 (Asian), 1.67 (Hispanic), and 6.02 (non-Hispanic white). The difference in the incidence of uveal melanoma between each racial/ethnic group was highly statistically significant, with the exception of the black versus the Asian population in which there was no statistically significant difference., Conclusion: The relative risk of uveal melanoma was 1.2 for Asian and Pacific Islander patients, 5.4 for Hispanic patients, and 19.2 for non-Hispanic white patients as compared with the black patients. If the non-Hispanic white population and the Hispanic population were combined, then the overall white:black ratio was 18:1.

Purpose: We report a case of a choroidal metastasis from an adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lung. Interventional case report., Design: A 40-year old man, 9 months' status postresection of a bronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma, was diagnosed by clinical evaluation and fine-needle aspiration biopsy and treated with palladium-103 ophthalmic plaque brachytherapy., Results: This unusual patient with uveal metastasis from adenoid cystic carcinoma presented with decreased vision in the right eye and a diaphanous amelanotic choroidal tumor in the superotemporal macula. Ultrasound revealed a dome-shaped tumor that measured 4.0 mm in apical height and 11 x 10 mm in basal diameter. Fluorescein angiography revealed a double circulation and late intense subretinal fluorescence. Plaque brachytherapy provided local control and preservation of the eye., Conclusion: Bronchogenic adenoid cystic carcinoma can metastasize to the choroid.

Purpose: To describe the first case of intraocular teratoma associated with eyelid coloboma and the second reported case of intraocular teratoma., Design: Interventional case report., Methods: A left intraocular tumor was surgically resected from a 2-day-old female with an associated lower eyelid coloboma., Results: Pathologic evaluation revealed a completely intraocular tumor comprising derivatives of all three germ cell layers giving a diagnosis of intraocular teratoma. The eyelid coloboma was repaired, and a scleral-wrapped hydoxyapatite-integrated orbital implant was placed., Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the second reported instance of teratoma originating within the globe and the only reported case of teratoma associated with eyelid coloboma. Although exceedingly rare, intraocular teratoma should be added to the differential diagnosis of congenital intraocular tumors.

Purpose: To evaluate the utility of ultrasound biomicroscopy in imaging cyclitic membranes., Methods: Patients with hypotony and suspected or known cyclitic membrane underwent ultrasound biomicroscopic examination. Histopathology of cyclitic membrane was correlated with ultrasound biomicroscopy in three cases., Results: Six eyes of six patients were enrolled. Mean patient age was 62.2 +/- 18.4 (SD) years. The mean intraocular pressure in the affected eye was 4.3 +/- 3.4 mmHg. Three eyes were pseudophakic and three eyes were aphakic. All eyes had undergone two or more previous intraocular surgeries. Ultrasound biomicroscopy imaged the cyclitic membrane in all six eyes. Histopathology revealed fibroproliferative cyclitic membranes with associated inflammatory cells., Conclusion: Ultrasound biomicroscopy is useful in detecting the presence of those cyclitic membranes that may not be identified on clinical examination.