MALIGNANT-TUMORS OF THE NASAL CAVITY

Malignant tumors of the nasal cavity are rare but interesting lesions because of the heterogeneity of histologic types. From 1951 to 1992, 1 02 patients with malignant tumors of the nasal cavity have been treate d at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common histologic type (41%), followed by malignant melan oma (15%), and adenoid cystic carcinoma (8%). A number of other rare t umors, including hemangiopericytoma, osteosarcoma, acinic cell carcino ma, and teratoid carcinosarcoma were found in single instances. Despit e the high proportion of advanced stage disease in patients undergoing planned combined therapy for all histologic types, a 54% overall dete rminate 5-year survival rate was achieved. The 5-year cure rate for al l forms of treatment was 49%. The purpose of this paper is to present our experience and compare the outcome of the various treatment option s; the impact of combined surgery and radiation on survival; and the i mportance of proper patient selection now made possible by CT and MR i maging and endoscopic examination. The evolution of treatment modaliti es dating to the beginning of this study period and ending with our cu rrent techniques for anterior skull base resections is discussed.