[Is orbital exenteration indicated for extensive primary mucosal melanomas of the sinunasal system?]

Primary mucosal melanomas are most frequently localized in the sinunasal system. Orbital involvement must be excluded in the mostly advanced tumor stage. The aim of our study was to find possible indications for orbital exenteration in the T3-4 sinunasal tumor stage. We evaluated 14 treatment courses at our department from 1988 to 2004. The analysis disclosed orbital involvement in 43 % of the patients. The one patient submitted to orbital exenteration had a survival of only 28 months, which was not relevantly longer than in the other 9 patients with a T3-4 tumor stage (median survival of 27 months) or to the two patients with purely palliative treatment (survival of 10 and 21 months). We conclude that, due to the high generalized metastasis rate, radical surgical procedures can only prolong survival in individual cases of advanced-stage sinunasal tumors. Orbital decompression should be considered with reference to the quality of life.