Chronic unilateral tearing as a sign of lacrimal sac squamous cell carcinoma

ABSTRACT Tearing is a very common symptom in ophthalmic practice; however, this issue is commonly overlooked. The authors describe the case of a patient with chronic unilateral epiphora that had been neglected for 8 y; lacrimal system workup was performed for this patient only because of dacryocystitis evolvement. Following the diagnosis of nasolacrimal duct blockage, dacryocystorhinostomy was indicated. Intraoperative abnormal mucosa was subjected to biopsy, and a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma in the lacrimal sac was established. Extended tumor excision was performed for the patient and adjuvant radiotherapy was administered, without any recurrence till the 2-year follow-up. The present report highlights the relevance of a detailed evaluation for determining the underlying causes of tearing, especially in chronic unilateral presentation. The consideration of potential malignancy in such cases could prevent delayed diagnosis of uncommon but potentially life-threatening malignancies of the lacrimal drainage system.