Transitional papilloma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Clinical course, viral etiology and malignant transformation.
Transitional papilloma is a rare but not uncommon tumor with an overall incidence varying between 0.5 and 4% of all primary nasal tumors. The probability of recurrence is high, between 20 and 62%, even after adequate therapy. Malignancies are associated with transitional papilloma in 2-13% of cases. A series of 21 patients with transitional papilloma of the nose and/or paranasal sinuses is presented. Human papillomavirus (HPV) structural proteins and DNA types were found in 13 cases (62%) of transitional papillomas studied. None of the 9 nasal polyps and none of the 9 squamous cell carcinomas of paranasal sinuses studied as control material contained HPV DNA. We found 4 recurrent papillomas (19%) during the 2-year observation time. All recurrences were HPV-positive. The incidence of malignant transformation was 14% in this series. Treatment of transitional papilloma is always surgical. In our opinion medial maxillectomy and ethmoidectomy via sublabial rhinotomy is the surgery of choice in the treatment of transitional papilloma.
Siivonen
L
L
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Turku, Finland.
Virolainen
E
E
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000601:surgery*; D010212:Papilloma / Q000601:surgery*; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*