Carcinoma of paranasal sinuses: long-term outcomes with radiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the clinical features, prognostic factors, results, and complications of treatment of carcinomas of the paranasal sinus.


METHODS
The records of 106 patients (72 men and 34 women) with paranasal sinus carcinoma treated with curative intent at Washington University between January 1960 and August 1998 were analyzed. Patient age ranged from 29 to 91 years (median, 64 years). Most tumors originated in the maxillary (76%) or ethmoid (18%) sinus. Most tumors were locally advanced at presentation. All patients underwent radiotherapy (RT), combined with surgery in 65%; 2% received chemotherapy.


RESULTS
Follow-up ranged from 1.7 months to 24 years (median 5 years). The 5-year local tumor control, locoregional tumor control, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival rate was 58%, 39%, 33%, and 27%, respectively. A statistically significant improvement in DFS was noted with the addition of surgical resection to RT (35% vs. 29%, p = 0.05). Nodal status at presentation emerged as a statistically significant predictor for locoregional tumor control and DFS in multivariate analysis. Distant metastases occurred in 29% of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This review of a large, single-institution experience of paranasal sinus carcinoma patients who underwent RT showed that locoregional tumor progression and recurrence remain predominant patterns of failure despite aggressive local treatment with combined surgery and RT. DFS improved slightly with combined modality treatment. The overall survival rates remained suboptimal, suggesting a need for more accurate determination of tumor extent, as well as more effective locoregional and systemic therapies.
Blanco
Angel I
AI
Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Chao
K S Clifford
KS
Ozyigit
Gokhan
G
Adli
Mustafa
M
Thorstad
Wade L
WL
Simpson
Joseph R
JR
Spector
Gershon J
GJ
Haughey
Bruce
B
Perez
Carlos A
CA
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008444:Maxillary Sinus Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology