Squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus: a Tata Memorial Hospital experience

The optimal treatment of maxillary sinus carcinoma remains to be defined and there is a paucity of Indian studies on the subject.

To present experience of management of squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus treated with curative intent at a single institution.

Retrospective study of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus who presented between 1994 to 1999.

The records of 73 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus were analyzed. Sixty-two patients were evaluable. Forty patients (65%) were treated with surgery followed by postoperative radiotherapy, five patients (8%) were treated with radiotherapy alone, five patients (8%) were treated with surgery alone; 12 patients (19%) received chemotherapy.

Statistical analysis was done using Kaplan-Meier method.

The majority of patients presented with locally advanced disease (52, 84%); nodal involvement was observed in five patients (8%). The most common site of recurrence was at the primary site, which was observed in 28 patients (45%) and regional failures occurred in 10 (16%). The 3 and 5-year overall survival was 38% and 35% and the disease free survival was 29% and 26% respectively. The 5-year overall survival after surgery and postoperative radiotherapy was 42%.

The majority of patients present with advanced disease resulting in poor outcomes to conventional treatment modalities. Locoregional tumor progression remains a significant pattern of failure. New approaches such as neoadjuvant or concomitant chemoradiotherapy with aggressive surgery need to be considered and evaluated in prospective studies.