Role of endoscopic surgery in the management of selected malignant epithelial neoplasms of the naso-ethmoidal complex.
BACKGROUND
This study reviews the outcome of patients with adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the naso-ethmoidal complex treated by endoscopic surgery.


METHODS
Sixteen patients underwent a purely endoscopic excision of AC (n = 12) or SCC (n = 4) at 2 university hospitals. All patients were prospectively followed by endoscopic and MRI evaluations.


RESULTS
The tumor originated from the ethmoid in 13 cases and the nasal fossa in 3. Lesions were staged as follows: 5 T1, 10 T2, and 1 T3. Adjuvant radiotherapy was delivered in 7 cases. Follow-up (range, 28-70 months; mean, 47.25) was available for all patients. One patient died for brain metastases 28 months after surgery. Another patient required salvage craniofacial resection and radiotherapy for recurrent AC. Five-year disease-specific and disease-free survival rates were 93.3% and 87.0%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In selected T1-T2 lesions of the naso-ethmoidal complex, endoscopic surgery seems to offer a satisfactory alternative to external procedures.
Nicolai
Piero
P
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Brescia, Piazza Spedali Civili 1, 25123 Brescia, Italy. pieronicolai@virgilio.it
Castelnuovo
Paolo
P
Lombardi
Davide
D
Battaglia
Paolo
P
Bignami
Maurizio
M
Pianta
Luca
L
Tomenzoli
Davide
D
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004724:Endoscopy; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant