Fl. Ampil et al., Involvement of the cavernous sinus by malignant (extracranial) tumour: palliation in six cases without surgery, J CRAN MAX, 28(3), 2000, pp. 161-164
Involvement of the cavernous sinus region due to haematogenous spread or by
local extension of a malignant head and neck tumour does not occur frequen
tly. Six patients were treated by external beam radiation with (n=3) or wit
hout neoadjuvant chemotherapy between December 1989 and February 1996. Mani
festations of the condition mainly consisted of fifth and sixth cranial ner
ve deficits (n = 4). Complete resolution of cranial nerve deficits after th
erapy occurred in two of the four patients with only three individuals havi
ng been evaluable.
Three of the six patients survived for more than 3 years. Thus, palliation
can be achieved by chemoradiation or radiotherapy alone, and long term surv
ival is not precluded. (C) 2000 European Association for Cranio-Maxillofaci
al Surgery.