Rhinectomy: timing and reconstruction

Cancer of the nasal skin is usually well-circumscribed, superficial, and has an excellent prognosis. However, a small number of aggressive lesions require a partial or total rhinectomy. We retrospectively reviewed patients seen at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center between January 1, 1970, and December 31, 1980, for nasal cancer. There were 147 patients identified as requiring full-thickness nasal resections, of whom 68 (46.3%) required a hemi- or complete rhinectomy. Lesions requiring extensive rhinectomy usually involved the ala or were recurrent multicentric, squamous cell carcinomas greater than 4 cm. These patients had significantly poorer prognoses than the group in general. Recurrence developed in 45 patients (30.6%), and two thirds of all recurrences were seen within 2 years. In this series, the histology of the malignancy and its size, in the case of large basal cell carcinomas, were both predictive of a poor prognosis. Only the primary site was significant in predicting recurrence, whereas tumor size and histology were significant predictors of the need for an extensive rhinectomy. Delayed reconstruction is recommended in patients who are in poor health and have large recurrent lesions that are multicentric or involve the ala or dorsum. The timing of reconstruction is individualized, but a 2-year wait after surgery is recommended. Prosthetic rehabilitation is a good interim measure.