BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignant tumor located in the eyelid and there is a possibility of recurrent tumor after excision. OBJECTIVE: This study was done to evaluate the features related to recidive basal cell carcinoma. METHODS: A retrospective survey was done at Botucatu School of Medicine - UNESP, from 1998 to 2001. A total of 23 patients presented recidive basal cell carcinoma. The patients were studied according to sex, age, solar exposure, tumor localization, histological presentation, resection margins and follow up. RESULTS: Recidive BCC occurred in Caucasians, mostly in females (52.0%), all in the lower eyelid, mainly in the internal canthus (74.0%), ulcerated solid histological form (34.7%) and 66.6% had clear resection margins. CONCLUSION: The majority of recurrent BCC were solid and occurred in the internal canthus. Clear margins do not guarantee that a new lesion will not occur.
carcinoma; basal cell; histology; neoplasms; recurrence; neoplasm recurrence, local