Auricular carcinoma with temporal bone invasion: Outcome analysis

Invasion of the temporal bone by cutaneous carcinoma of the auricle and per iauricular skin is an ominous prognostic sign. Management includes aggressi ve resection of cutaneous disease as well as resection of temporal bone to obtain a medial margin. Analysis of data from 21 patients with temporal bon e invasion caused by cutaneous malignancy is presented, Overall survival is approximately 63%, Cumulative survival is significantly decreased in patie nts with squamous cell carcinoma when compared with other invasive malignan cies. Univariate and covariate analyses demonstrate that nodal status, posi tive microscopic soft tissue margins, and persistent perineural disease at the skull base did not significantly affect survival in this series. There is a trend toward increased survival in patients receiving postoperative ra diation in this series.