Introduction. Our initial clinical observation indicated that incomplete resections of eyelid malignancies were relatively common. Therefore we posed a first hypothesis that the percentage of incomplete resections and probably incomplete resections of eyelid skin malignancies is higher than such percentages in other locations of skin malignancies. As fear for eye injury is a probable reason for incomplete resections performed by surgeons, we hypothesised that it shouldn’t be the case when resections are made by opthalmologists who are eye specialists trained to cope with potential eye injuries and orbital tissue injuries. Therefore we posed a second hypothesis that percentages of incomplete resections and probably incomplete resections of eyelid tumors, performed by ophthalmologists, should be lower than percentages of incomplete resections and probably incomplete resections performed by surgeons. The aim of the study was to verify or not the two hypotheses.

Material and methods. A study group was composed of 229 patients who underwent surgery in the Department of Surgical Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, from January 1995 to December 2011. In this group, surgical oncologists removed 236 primary eyelid skin cancers. A first comparison group was composed of 217 patients who underwent surgery in the same Department for 279 skin cancers located on the head (except eyelids), neck, trunk and extremities. A second comparison group was composed of 64 patients who underwent surgery in Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital in Sieradz, from January 1994 to June 2012. In this group, ophthalmologists removed 64 primary eyelid skin cancers. In order to verify the first hypothesis we compared percentages of complete resections of eyelid skin cancers with percentages of complete resections of skin cancers located in other anatomical sites. In order to verify the second hypothesis we compared the percentages of complete resections of eyelid skin cancers made by opthalmologists with the percentage of complete resections of eyelid skin cancers made by surgical oncologists.

Results. Surgical oncologists resected eyelid skin cancers completely in 79.7% of cases, probably incompletely in 6.8% of cases, and incompletely in 13.5% of cases. Surgical oncologists resected skin cancers in other anatomical locations completely in 83.2% of cases, probably incompletely in 1.4% of cases, and incompletely in 15.4% of cases. Ophthalmologists resected eyelid skin cancers completely in 72% of cases, probably incompletely in 12% of cases, and incompletely in 16% of cases. Percentages of complete resections of eyelid skin cancers and complete resections of skin cancers located on the head and neck were similar (chi-squared test; p = 0.76). The percentage of complete resections of eyelid skin cancers was statistically significantly different from the percentage of complete resections of skin cancers located on the trunk and extremities (Fisher exact test; p = 0.001). The percentage of complete resections of eyelid skin cancers in the Deptartment of Surgical Oncology was similar to the percentage of complete resections of eyelid skin cancers in the Deptartment of Opthalmology (chi square test; p = 0.18).

Conclusions. The first hypothesis turned out to be only partially true. The second hypothesis turned out to be untrue.