Apocrine hidrocystoma of the orbit mimicking basal cell carcinoma: a case report

Apocrine hidrocystomas are benign cystic lesions derived from the sweat glands. They are rarely seen in the orbit with very few adult cases published in literature. We present a case of a 40-year-old female, with no prior medical history or ocular trauma, referred for an orbital tumor. We found a raised, pearly, blue-grayish and painless mass, medial to her left upper eyelid, in the supero-medial orbit margin. The diagnosis of a basal cell carcinoma was suspected, and a complete excisional biopsy was performed. Histopathologic examination revealed apocrine hidrocystoma. Apocrine hidrocystomas, although rare, should be part of the differential diagnosis of orbital cystic tumors at any age. Our aim was to emphasize the resemblance of apocrine hidrocystoma to basal cell carcinoma.