MALIGNANT SINONASAL TUMORS - THE DUBLIN EYE AND EAR HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE

We identified 51 patients from pathology and operative records who wer e treated in the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital with malignant si nonasal tumours between January 1980 and December 1991. Complete follo w up was available in 43 patients. There were 30 males, mean age 50 ye ars, range (10-80) and 13 females, mean age 59 years, range (34-75). C ommonest presentations were nasal obstruction, nasal discharge and fac ial swelling. Patients presented late because of initial non specific symptoms. The maxilla was the site of origin in 18 patients, the ethmo ids in 13 patients and the nasal cavity in 12 patients. There was a wi de range of histological types with squamous cell carcinoma occurring in 19 patients (44%). All patients were treated with surgery, radiothe rapy or a combination of both. Chemotherapy was used as an adjunctive therapy in three patients. Local recurrence occurred in 21 (50%) of th e patients. Overall three year survival was 58% and five year survival was 45%. These figures compare favourably with larger series in the l iterature. A high index of suspicion, early recognition and referral o f these patients is required to improve survival.