Aim: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of malignant skin tumors on the periorbital region and our surgical results.

Materials and method: A retrospective study was used to review patients who had malignant periorbital skin tumors and underwent surgery from 1997 to 2003. Surgical excision and various reconstructive procedures were performed for the treatments of these tumors.

Results: We reviewed 54 patients with malignant skin tumor on their periorbital region. Their mean age was 63.5 ± 10.15 years (range 32 to 89 years) and 59.3% were male (32 cases), 40.7% were female (22 cases). The tumors, in order of frequency, were basal cell carcinoma (38 cases, 70.3%), squamous cell carcinoma (10 cases, 18.5%), sebaceous gland adenocarcinoma (4 cases, 7.4%) and malignant melanoma (2 cases, 3.7%). The most of the lesions involved around the lower lid (30 cases, 55.56%). Reconstruction of the surgical defects were performed during the same operations. Five patients (9.26%) had local recurrence. Two patients (3.7%) were died from lung small cell carcinomas. Two (3.7%) exenterations were performed. Distant metastases were not found in patients.

Conclusion: Periorbital region skin tumors are common, and potentially fatal diseases. However, if detected early and treated adequately, the prognosis is generally excellent. Because presentation varies and histological examination is required for accurate diagnosis, any suspicious lesion occurring on the periorbital region should be excised or biopsied.