ON THIS PAGE: You will learn about the different ways doctors use to treat people with this type of cancer. To see other pages, use the menu on the side of your screen.
This section outlines treatments that are the standard of care (the best known treatments available) for this specific type of cancer. When making treatment plan decisions, patients are also encouraged to consider clinical trials as an option.
A clinical trial is a research study to test a new approaches to treatment to evaluate whether it is safe, effective, and possibly better than the standard treatment. Clinical trials may test such approaches as a new drug, a new combination of standard treatments, or new doses of current therapies. Your doctor can help you review all treatment options. For more information, see the About Clinical Trials and Latest Research sections.
In cancer care, different types of doctors often work together to create a patient’s overall treatment plan that combines different types of treatments. This is called a multidisciplinary team. Cancer care teams also include a variety of other health care professionals, including physician assistants, oncology nurses, social workers, pharmacists, counselors, dietitians, and others.
For eyelid cancer, this team may include a:
Dermatologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases and conditions of the skin
Ophthalmologist, a medical doctor who specializes in diseases and function of the eye
Medical oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating cancer with medication
Patients with eyelid cancer should talk with doctors who have experience treating this type of cancer. These doctors can provide guidance on preserving the function of the eye during treatment and identifying potential problems after treatment.
Patients should have a sense that their doctors have a coordinated plan of care and are communicating effectively with one another. If patients do not feel that the team is communicating effectively with them or each other about the goals of treatment and the plan of care, patients should discuss this with their doctors or seek additional opinions before treatment.
Descriptions of the most common treatment options for eyelid cancer are listed below. Treatment options and recommendations depend on several factors, including the type and stage of cancer, possible side effects, and the patient’s preferences and overall health. Your care plan may also include treatment for symptoms and side effects, an important part of cancer care. Take time to learn about all of your treatment options and be sure to ask questions about things that are unclear. Also, talk about the goals of each treatment with your doctor and what you can expect while receiving the treatment. Learn more about making treatment decisions.
Surgery is the removal of the tumor and some surrounding healthy tissue during an operation. Eye surgery is typically performed by an ophthalmologist. Different types of surgical procedures are used depending on the size of the cancer and where it is located. Learn more about the basics of cancer surgery.
Extensive surgery may result in scarring and deformity of the eyelid, enucleation (removal of the eye), and/or may cause problems with tear drainage. Talk with your doctor before surgery about the possible side effects from your surgery, including changes to your vision and appearance, as well as physical and psychological support services available to you for your recovery.
Biopsy. A surgical biopsy may remove part of the tumor (incisional) or the entire tumor (excisional). If the tumor is found to be cancerous, and the surgeon has removed a sufficient margin of healthy tissue along with the tumor, an excisional biopsy may be the only treatment needed. See the Diagnosis section for more information about a biopsy for eyelid cancer.
Mohs' surgery. This technique involves removing the visible tumor and small fragments of the edge of where the tumor existed. Each small fragment is examined under a microscope until all cancer is removed. This procedure is most often used for a larger tumor, a