Recurrence of sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid after radiation therapy.

Sebaceous carcinoma originating in the meibomian gland recurred in six patients (four women, 61, 68, 71, and 88 years old, and two men, 52 and 65 years old) who had undergone radiation therapy. The patients had received radiation dosages ranging from 3,300 to 11,900 rads. The tumors recurred two months to two years after treatment. All six patients then underwent surgical excision of the tumors and have remained tumor-free for follow-up periods of as long as 42 months. These data indicated that radiation therapy of sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid should be considered palliative rather than curative.