Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the treatment and outcomes for patients with sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma.


METHODS
Review of the pertinent literature.


RESULTS
Most series contain a limited number of patients treated with various combinations of surgery, radiotherapy (RT), and chemotherapy. Follow-up periods for disease-free patients are sometimes relatively short. The majority of patients present with locally advanced tumors; 10% to 30% have clinically positive regional nodes. The risk of local-regional recurrence after treatment is probably 20% to 30% or higher, depending on the extent of disease. The likelihood of distant dissemination is approximately 25% to 30% and the cure rate varies from roughly 20% to 50%. Better outcomes are observed in patients treated with craniofacial resection combined with pre- or postoperative RT alone or with adjuvant chemotherapy. This is probably due, in part, to selection bias. Patients with incompletely resectable tumors are best treated with definitive RT and adjuvant chemotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
The optimal treatment is craniofacial resection combined with adjuvant RT alone or with chemotherapy. The risk of relapse is relatively high and the probability of cure is modest. Patients with incompletely resectable tumors may sometimes be cured with definitive chemoradiation.
Mendenhall
William M
WM
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610-0385, USA. mendewil@shands.ufl.edu
Mendenhall
Charles M
CM
Riggs
Charles E
CE
Villaret
Douglas B
DB
Mendenhall
Nancy Price
NP
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009669:Nose Neoplasms; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016896:Treatment Outcome