Temporal bone verrucous carcinoma: outcomes and treatment controversy

Verrucous carcinoma is a rare tumor that presents in the head and neck with the most common sites in the larynx and oral cavity. Fourteen cases of verrucous carcinoma of the temporal bone have been described in the literature; this study aims to examine treatment outcomes and discuss the controversy surrounding postoperative radiation.

A literature review along with individual case report in the setting of a tertiary care medical center.

Outcomes analysis of all cases of verrucous carcinoma of the temporal bone which are documented in the English literature; presentation of a single patient report including gross, histologic, and radiologic analyses.

The longest recorded survival for verrucous carcinoma of the temporal bone occurs in patients treated with surgery alone. Poorer outcomes for patients treated with adjuvant (chemo)radiation may be due to more advanced stage disease at the time of treatment. Early reports of radiation leading to tumor dedifferentiation or early recurrence are not supported by more recent studies. Whether adjuvant radiation therapy is indicated in verrucous carcinoma of the temporal bone remains a controversial.