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Primary nasolacrimal duct malignacy is rare. Only a few tumours have been reported originating from this location including lymphoma,1 Kaposi’s sarcoma,2 adenocarcinoma,3 angiofibroma,4 and squamous cell carcinoma.5
Mucosal melanoma represents 1–2% of all melanomas,6 with 25–50% in the head and neck—that is, upper respiratory tract, oral cavity, and pharynx. Other sites include urinary, female genital, and ano-rectal tracts. These tumours are uncommon, present in the fifth to eighth decades, have slight male preponderance and are more common in darker skinned individuals. Cutaneous melanoma presents two decades earlier and is more common in white people and is associated with sun exposure.
Case report
A 41 year old Asian male presented to the oculoplastic service with a 3 month history of right sided intermittent bloody tears and epistaxis. He described right simple epiphora for at least 2 years treated with a three snip procedure. Probing the right nasolacrimal system confirmed normal canaliculi and easy entry of the probe into the lacrimal sac. Irrigation demonstrated complete nasolacrimal …