[Case of frontal sinus carcinoma for which anterior skull base surgery was performed: application for resection of...

Carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses occupies only 3% of head and neck malignant tumors in the West, but 10% in Japan. Frontal sinus carcinoma is much rarer, occupying less than 1% of carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. In Japan, only 38 cases have been reported for 40 years, from 1924 to 1964. Almost all patients died within one year because only facial resection was performed. We report a case of frontal sinus carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma) invasive the to skull base for which we performed anterior skull base surgery and can confirm two years survival in our institution. In this case, resection of the right orbit contents was performed, but careful consideration must be given to resection and repair of orbit contents for maintaining a patient's quality of life. Not only computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging but also angiography is thought to be useful, especially for the ophthalmic artery (in this case, the lacrimal artery) is important.