Impact of clinicopathologic factors on survival in patients with sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid - a population-based analysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate prognostic factors and survival of patients with sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid through a population-based analysis.

METHODS: A total of 940 patients with primary sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid were derived from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database in the United States from 1973 to 2013. Kaplan-Meier univariate analysis and Cox Regression multivariate analysis were performed to examine prognostic factors in overall survival (OS). 5- and 10-year survival rates, median survival, and prognostic variables with statistical significance were measured.

RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that OS is 66% and 44% at 5 years and 10 years respectively. Median OS is 9.4 years. Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that independent prognostic factors for OS are age at diagnosis (HR = 4.61 [95% CI 1.93-11.0], P = 0.001), surgical treatment (HR = 0.196 [95% CI 0.07-0.55], P = 0.002), combined surgical and radiation treatment (HR = 0.227 [95% CI 0.06-0.81], P = 0.023), and greater tumor size at diagnosis (HR = 3.381, [95% CI 1.77-6.45], P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: We report the largest population study to date to evaluate prognostic factors of patients with sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid. Multivariate analysis shows that older age, and greater tumor size correlate with decreased overall survival, whereas surgical treatment or combined surgical and radiation treatment correlate with increased overall survival. Interestingly, tumor grade, lymph node involvement, and distant extent of tumor have not demonstrated to be independent prognostic factors for overall survival.