A case of primary basal cell carcinoma of the limbal conjunctiva

Background: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) rarely occurs in the conjunctiva, although a few cases have been reported previously. Herein, we report a rare case of primary BCC in the limbal conjunctiva. Case Report: A 65-year-old Japanese male complained of foreign body sensation in one eye. On initial examination, vessel invasion and a growth on the nasal conjunctiva around the limbus were noted. The growth, which appeared to be a pinguecula, was excised on the same day in the outpatient clinic, with suturing of the conjunctiva. About 2 months after this initial procedure, regrowth of the mass was noted in the region of excision with invasion into the limbal conjunctiva. The recurrent tumor was excised 6 months after the initial procedure and was diagnosed histopathologically as a BCC. At the last follow-up visit 1 year after the initial procedure, corneal and vessel invasion had continued to progress slowly. Conclusion: Although BCC of the conjunctiva is extremely rare, it is important to differentiate this lesion from other malignancies and benign conjunctival lesions and to maintain sufficient margins of safety during their surgical excision.