Radiation therapy in inverted papillomas of the nasal cavity and paranasalsinuses

Purpose: Between December 1969 and September 1989, a total of 10 patients w ith advanced and/or recurrent inverted or cylindrical cell papillomas were treated with irradiation at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Materials and Methods: Nine of 10 patients had 1 or more recurrences before they received radiation therapy. Three patients were treated with irradiat ion alone, and 7 patients received surgery and irradiation (preoperatively in 1 patient and postoperatively in 6 patients). Eight patients had inverte d papillomas (3 with concomitant squamous cell carcinoma), and 2 patients h ad cylindrical cell papiliomas. Results: Local recurrence developed in 4 patients at 1.5, 6.5, 12, and 13 y ears after treatment. No evidence of recurrence was observed in 6 patients at 7, 8.5, 8.5, 9, 9, and 20.5 years after treatment. Four patients died of intercurrent disease. No patient developed a malignant transformation. Sig nificant complications of treatment included, in 1 patient, an area of bone exposure in the orbit that necessitated debridement. Conclusion: Surgery is the primary treatment of this entity. Radiation ther apy should be considered in patients with incompletely resectable lesions, multiply recurrent tumors, and tumors associated with malignancy. (Am J Oto laryngol 2000;21:174-178. Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company).