Extramedullary Plasmacytoma of the Paranasal Sinuses: Combining Surgery with External Radiotherapy

Extramedullary plasmacytomas (EMP) are rare neoplasms characterized by the proliferation of a single B-lymphoid cell clone, arising primarily in the head and neck region. The purpose of this study is to report our experience in the management of EMPs arising in the paranasal sinuses. We retrospectively reviewed clinical records of 7 patients (4 men and 3 women), admitted between 1995 and 2010 for EMPs of the paranasal sinuses-5 within the ethmoid and 2 in the maxillary sinus. Treatment consisted in endoscopic resection followed by external RT. The mean follow-up period is 50 months (range 9-67 months). Local recurrences developed in 2 out of 7 cases. Both recurrences occurred in maxillary EMPs and they underwent salvage treatment-combination of RT and surgery. At the time of analyzing these data 5 patients (70 %) were alive and two (30 %) have died of their disease. A single patient, presenting local relapse at 6 months, died due to the disease at 9 months. One patient progressed to multiple myeloma. Larger controlled clinical trials are necessary to establish an optimal treatment of choice that implies an individualized management of these patients.