Malignant Tumors of the Nasal Cavity

Abstract

Malignant tumors of the nasal cavity are rare but interesting lesions because of the heterogeneity of histologic types. From 1951 to 1992, 102 patients with malignant tumors of the nasal cavity have been treated at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common histologic type (41 %), followed by malignant melanoma (15%), and adenoid cystic carcinoma (8%). A number of other rare tumors, including hemangiopericytoma, osteosarcoma, acinic cell carcinoma, and teratoid carcinosarcoma were found in single instances. Despite the high proportion of advanced stage disease in patients undergoing planned combined therapy for all histologic types, a 54% overall determinate 5-year survival rate was achieved. The 5-year cure rate for all forms of treatment was 49%. The purpose of this paper is to present our experience and compare the outcome of the various treatment options; the impact of combined surgery and radiation on survival; and the importance of proper patient selection now made possible by CT and MR imaging and endoscopic examination. The evolution of treatment modalities dating to the beginning of this study period and ending with our current techniques for anterior skull base resections is discussed.