UC Davis

Objective

We describe the case of a patient with metastatic breast cancer who presented with eyelid margin thickening and madarosis more suggestive of sebaceous cell carcinoma than metastatic disease. Histopathology confirmed metastatic breast adenocarcinoma.

Case report

A 59-year-old woman with a known history of metastatic breast carcinoma actively enrolled in a clinical trial presented with a thickened right upper eyelid margin with madarosis and without ulceration. Although the possibility of metastasis was considered, a biopsy was performed to ensure the patient did not have a primary eyelid malignancy such as sebaceous cell carcinoma given her immunocompromised state. Histopathology revealed metastatic breast adenocarcinoma.

Conclusions

To the authors' best knowledge, metastatic breast carcinoma presenting as eyelid margin thickening without ulceration has not previously been reported. Eyelid metastasis is rare, and this patient's clinical presentation was found to be unusual as well. It is important to establish metastatic disease even in a small focus such as the eyelid, as it may alter disease management.