Abstract
Background
Conjunctival intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) typically occurs in elderly individuals. A number of aetiological factors are implicated in CIN, including life-long exposure to ultra-violet light and immunodeficiency states, particularly HIV infection. Asthma is a common condition affecting more than 3.5 million individuals in the UK, and is associated with atopy in approximately 70% of cases. In this paper we describe CIN occurring in young patients with asthma.
Methods
Retrospective case series: A review of our ocular oncology database helped to identify 11 patients <55 years of age and presenting with CIN. Of these, seven (64%) were noted to have co-existent asthma.
Results
Seven patients were included in the study (six male and one female). Mean age at presentation was 44 years (range 36–54 years). Five patients showed unilateral disease, whereas two showed bilateral. Five patients showed local recurrence; however, there were no cases of metastasis.
Conclusion
The occurrence of CIN, particularly bilateral CIN, in younger immunocompetent individuals is very unusual, and the presence of asthma in 64% of our patient cohort suggests that atopic asthma may be a further aetiological factor involved in the development of this rare neoplasm.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Mr Andrew Bailey at the Manchester Medical Microbiology Partnership for assessing HPV status in our patients.
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Rundle, P., Mudhar, H. & Rennie, I. Conjunctival intra-epithelial neoplasia occurring in young patients with asthma. Eye 24, 1182–1185 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.2009.296
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.2009.296
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