Basal cell carcinoma kissing with nodular nevus on the eyelid margin: a causality or coincidence?

Abstract

Two patients, a 38-year-old woman and, a 74-year-old man, had ulceronodular basal cell carcinoma at the lower eyelid margin, directly opposite a nodular intradermal nevus at the upper lid margin. Both patients had the nevi for decades and the tumors for 2 and 3 years, respectively. The size of the tumors were 9 × 4 mm and 10 × 15 mm. When the eyelids were closed, the nevus corresponded to the ulcerated tumor cavity in both cases. The lesions were excised, and the defects were repaired. It is well-established that chronic mechanical irritation can increase sensitivity to epidermal carcinogenesis. In the cases described here, it remains speculative whether nevus-related trauma on the opposite eyelid played a role in the development of basal cell carcinoma.