Conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma and intraepithelial neoplasia in AIDS patients in Congo Kinshasa.

PURPOSE

To determine the clinical characteristics of conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma and conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia in AIDS patients.

METHODS

A review of AIDS patients with biopsy-confirmed conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma and conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia seen between 1994 and 1997.

RESULTS

Ten patients, aged from 25 to 46 years (average, 37.3 years) were seen. There were three men and seven women. The mean delay of diagnosis was 7 months. Of the 10 patients, three had squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva and seven had conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia. Both eyes were involved with equal frequency. Lesions involved the corneoscleral limbus and the conjunctiva in eight patients and the conjunctiva in two patients. Localization of lesions was temporal in six patients, nasal in three patients and inferior in one patient. All patients were treated by excision of the lesions. A recurrence was seen in two patients (during the follow-up of 6 months).

CONCLUSION

The conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma and intraepithelial neoplasia in AIDS patients in this study showed similar clinical characteristics as those reported in immunocompetent persons, but occurred in a younger age group and were more aggressive.