title: Otalgia. An isolated symptom of malignant infratemporal tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to review a series of 18 patients with malignant infratemporal fossa tumors who presented with otalgia as the primary symptom.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective case analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients were evaluated and treated at a tertiary care academic medical institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen patients evaluated for otalgia in a normal-appearing ear, between July 1988 and July 1996, who were found to have a malignant infratemporal fossa tumor participated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnostic testing included radiographic evaluations and tissue sampling through fine-needle aspiration cytology. Treatment methods were histology dependent.
  
  
  METHODS
  The time between the onset of otalgia and the tumor diagnosis was recorded. Overall treatment outcomes were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The period between the onset of otalgia and tumor diagnosis ranged from 4-21 months with a mean of 7.5 months. Adenoid cystic carcinoma was the most commonly seen tumor in this series of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The infratemporal fossa is a relatively protected region that may be the site of malignant neoplasms causing the isolated symptom of otalgia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at Loyola, Maywood, Illinois 60153, USA.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Leonetti
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004433:Earache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy