Eyelid Tumors: Radiation Therapy

The primary treatment for eyelid tumors is surgical. Several modalities of ophthalmic radiation therapy have also been used to treat these malignancies. The goal of radiation therapy is to eradicate tumor burden but maintain vision and preserve function of sensitive ocular and orbital adnexal structures. Ophthalmic radiation may be used as a curative therapy, as adjuvant treatment following surgical excision, or as palliative therapy for advanced cases of eyelid and conjunctival tumors. The following review discusses the indications and outcomes of various modalities of radiation like external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and brachytherapy used to treat eyelid tumors including squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), basal cell carcinoma (BCC), sebaceous gland carcinoma, and melanoma.