Temporal bone tumours in patients irradiated for nasopharyngeal neoplasm

Radiation-associated tumours are rare complications of radiotherapy. This s tudy seeks to highlight and discuss the clinically challenging problem of r adiation-associated tumours (RATs) in the temporal bones of seven patients previously irradiated for nasopharyngeal neoplasm. Seven patients (six males and one female) with radiation-associated tempora l bone tumours are presented (five squamous cell carcinomas, one osteogenic sarcoma and one chondrosarcoma). The initial nasopharyngeal disease for wh ich radiotherapy was indicated was nasopharyngeal carcinoma (six patients) and nasopharyngeal lymphoma tone patient). The latency period between radio therapy and presentation of temporal bone tumours ranged from five years to 30 years with a mean of 12.9 years. All the patients underwent surgical tu mour resection. Three patients had post-operative radiotherapy and one pati ent underwent pre- and post-operative chemotherapy. Two patients died from the disease within three months of treatment with one patient surviving 36 months at the time of writing. One patient died from an unrelated medical c ondition three months after surgery. With refinement in radiotherapy techniques and the resultant increase in pa tient survival, there may be more patients with radiation-associated tumour s in the future. It remains imperative for clinicians to be vigilant when p atients previously irradiated for nasopharyngeal carcinoma present with oto logical symptoms as the key to the successful management of this condition lies in the early detection and expedient treatment of this difficult disea se.