A clinicopathologic study of primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland.

A retrospective study of 26 patients with the diagnosis of primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland was performed with use of randomly selected tissue from each tumor. An attempt was made to determine any associations among clinical presentation, survival, and tumor histologic patterns. We found that lower tumor grades were associated with a predominantly Swiss-cheese (cribriform) pattern. Both lower tumor grade and Swiss-cheese pattern were associated with longer survival. The basaloid (solid) pattern or bone invasion was not associated with a shorter survival. Between men and women, there were no differences in clinical presentation, histologic patterns, or survival. Survival was not affected by surgical or radiation therapy.