Breast Carcinoma Metastatic to the Eyelids

Metastatic tumors to the eyelids are rare and metastasis in the absence of an overt primary tumor is even more uncommon. About 30 cases of breast carcinoma metastatic to the eyelids have been reported in the American literature, mainly by ophthalmologists or pathologists. The purpose of this paper is to alert dermatologists to this unusual problem by reporting a patient who had eyelid metastases prior to the recognition of her primary breast carcinoma. REPORT OF A CASE A 61-year-old woman was first examined in August 1975 for erythema and edema of the right eyelids of five months' duration and similar involvement of the skin surrounding the left medial canthus of two weeks' duration. She denied excessive lacrimation, itching, or pain in the eyes, and denied contact with nail polish, eye drops, false eyelashes, or eye cosmetics. The right eyelids, right periorbital tissues, and skin surrounding the left medial canthus were