Carcinoma of the maxillary antrum: a retrospective analysis of 110 cases

Background and purpose: Cancer of the maxillary antrum is a rare disease wi th a variety of treatment options. The present study was undertaken to revi ew the outcome of patients with carcinoma of the maxillary antrum managed a t a single institution. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of 110 cases of carcinoma o f the maxillary antrum managed with curative intent during the time period 1976-1993 was performed. There were 33 females and 77 males; the median age was 64 years (range 38-89). The median follow-up time was 4 years (range f rom 2 months to 17 years). The majority of patients presented with locally advanced disease (78 T4 tumours); nodal involvement was observed in 17/110 cases. Histologic subtypes included in the analysis were limited to squamou s cell carcinoma (95 cases) and undifferentiated carcinoma (15 cases). Pati ents were managed with either primary radiation therapy with surgery reserv ed for salvage (83/110) or with a planned combined approach with surgery an d either pre or postoperative radiation (27/110). Results: The actuarial 5-year cause-specific survival rate was 43%. The 5-y ear local control rate was 42%. Of 63 patients with local failure, 25 under went salvage surgery with a subsequent 5-year cause-specific survival of 31 %. Multiple regression analysis of patient, disease and treatment related v ariables identified local disease extent and nodal disease at presentation as the only variables independently associated with cause-specific survival . Conclusions: This analysis indicates that survival from carcinoma of the ma xillary antrum is poor with outcome strongly related to local disease exten t. The best treatment strategy for this disease remains undefined. Salvage surgery can result in prolonged survival in selected patients experiencing local failure. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.