Eyelid cancer is a general term for a cancer that occurs on or in the eyelid. It is broadly categorized as an epithelial tumor, which is on the outer surface. An eyelid ...SkiptoContentSearchMenuYouarehereHome>TypesofCancer>EyelidCancer>EyelidCancer:OverviewRequestPermissionsEyelidCancer:OverviewApprovedbytheCancer.NetEditorialBoard,08/2015EditorialNote:Pleasenotethatthissectioniscurrentlyunderreviewandwillbeupdatedsoon.ONTHISPAGE:Youwillfindsomebasicinformationaboutthisdiseaseandthepartsofthebodyitmayaffect.ThisisthefirstpageofCancer.Net’sGuidetoEyelidCancer.Toseeotherpages,usethemenuonthesideofyourscreen.Thinkofthatmenuasaroadmaptothisfullguide.OverviewCancerbeginswhenhealthycellschangeandgrowuncontrollably,formingamasscalledatumor.Atumorcanbecancerousorbenign.Acanceroustumorismalignant,meaningitcangrowandspreadtootherpartsofthebody.Abenigntumormeansthetumorcangrowbutwillnotspread.Eyelidcancerisageneraltermforacancerthatoccursonorintheeyelid.Itisbroadlycategorizedasanepithelialtumor,whichisontheoutersurface.Aneyelidtumorcanbeginfromsebaceous(fat),sweat,orapocrineglands,whichisatypeofsweatgland.Themostcommontypesofcanceroccurringontheeyelidare:Basalcellcarcinoma.Underthesquamouscells(flat,scale-likecells)inthelowerepidermisareroundcellsknownasbasalcells.About80%ofskincancersarisefromthislayerinskin,andtheyaredirectlyrelatedtoexposuretothesun.Basalcellcarcinomaisthemostcommontypeofeyelidcancer.Itusuallyappearsinthelowerlidandoccursmostofteninindividualswithfairorpaleskin.Sebaceouscarcinoma.Mostlyoccurringinmiddleagetoolderadults,sebaceouscarcinomaisthesecondmostcommoneyelidcancer.Itmaystartfrommeibomianglands,whichareglandsoftheeyelidsthatdischargeafattysecretionthatlubricatestheeyelids.Lessfrequently,itstartsfromglandsofZeis,thesebaceousglandsatthebaseoftheeyelashes.Sebaceouscarcinomaisanaggressivecancerthatnormallyoccursontheuppereyelidandisassociatedwithradiationexposure,Bowen’sdisease,andMuir-Torresyndrome.Alargesebaceouscarcinomaoronethatreturnsaftertreatmentma