Anaplastic carcinoma of the nose and paranasal sinuses. Light microscopy, immunohistochemistry and clinical...

Twenty-one cases of anaplastic carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses were diagnosed by conventional light microscopy and the use of monoclonal antibodies to epithelial membrane antigen and cytokeratin. Lymphomas and malignant melanomas were excluded by immunohistochemical staining for leukocyte common antigen and S100 protein respectively. The median survival time for these patients was only 1 year despite all forms of treatment. Two patients survived for a longer period and their cases had unusual pathologic features that may have influenced the prognosis.