Adenocarcinoma of Ethmoid: a GETTEC retrospective multicenter study of 418 cases.
OBJECTIVE
To determine risk factors and evaluate the treatment of ethmoid adenocarcinoma. Epidemiologic data were recorded and compared with the literature.


METHODS
A multicenter and retrospective study. The medical records of 418 patients who had presented with ethmoid adenocarcinoma at 11 French hospitals from 1976 to 2001 were analyzed to determine the clinical characteristics and treatment of the disease.


RESULTS
The gender ratio was 2.8 men per 1 woman. Toxic exposure was classic for this lesion, exposure to wood and leather for most cases. The mean age was 63 years (range 31-91). Symptoms were nonspecific and based on clinical rhinologic signs. Nasal endoscopy after mucosal retraction was found useful to evaluate the extension of the lesion and to perform biopsies. Computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imagery must be carried out prior to treatment to define extra nasal extension. The survival rate was significantly influenced by the size of the lesion (T4, N+) and extension to brain or dura. Surgery with postoperative radiotherapy remains the treatment of choice. Total excision must be a major priority, as confirmed in our series.


CONCLUSIONS
This retrospective study was, to our knowledge, the largest ever reported in the literature. This series confirmed the risk factor of this lesion as well as the lesion's influence on the survival rate. Surgery is the most important part of the treatment. Local recurrences were responsible for the poor prognosis of this lesion.
Choussy
Olivier
O
ENT department, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France. olivier.choussy@chu-rouen.fr
Ferron
Christophe
C
Védrine
Pierre-Olivier
PO
Toussaint
Bruno
B
Liétin
Béatrice
B
Marandas
Patrick
P
Babin
Emmanuel
E
De Raucourt
Dominique
D
Reyt
Emile
E
Cosmidis
Alain
A
Makeiff
Marc
M
Dehesdin
Danièle
D
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies