[Primary tumours of the external auditory canal. Our experience in 34 patients]

Malignant neoplasms of the external auditory canal (EAC) and middle ear are rare but have a poor prognosis. The aim of this study is to identify the variables associated with worse prognosis.

Thirty-four patients were treated in our department between 1990 and 2006 for EAC and middle ear tumours. The patients were staged according to the 1990 Pittsburgh classification. In most cases, surgery was followed by post-operative radiotherapy.

The overall disease-free survival was 49 % after 5 years. It reached 87 % in stages I and II, whereas the survival for stages III and IV was 21 % (P=.001). Pre-operative facial nerve paralysis (P=.03), lymph node metastasis (P=.01) and dural extension (P=.02) were associated with decreased survival rates.

In carcinomas of the EAC and middle ear, lymph node involvement, facial nerve palsy, and dural extension were associated with a poorer outcome. For tumours in advanced stages, new therapeutic protocols should be evaluated.