Clinical Outcome in Patients with Large Sinonasal Tumors with Intracranial Extension

Objectives  Malignant tumors of the sinonasal cavities with extension to the frontal skull base are rare and challenging pathologies. Combined-approach surgery using a frontobasal craniotomy and endoscopic sinus surgery with reconstruction of the anterior skull base followed by adjuvant radiotherapy is a preferred treatment strategy in selected cases. Morbidity and mortality rates are high in this population. We aim to add our experience to the current literature. Design  We performed a retrospective cross-sectional single center study of the long-term clinical outcome in a tertiary university referral hospital in the Netherlands between 2010 and 2021. Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions were performed Participants  Patient, tumor, treatment, complications and survival characteristics of eighteen consecutive patients were extracted from the electronic health records. Main Outcome Measures  The primary outcome measures are progression free survival, overall survival and complication rate. Results  Eighteen consecutive patients were included with a mean age of 61 (SD ± 10) years (range 38-80); ten males and eight females. Gross total resection was achieved in 14 (77%) patients. Eleven (61%) patients underwent local radiotherapy, one (5%) chemotherapy and three (17%) a combination of both. Mean follow-up duration was 49 months (range 3 - 138). Three (17%) patients died in hospital due to post-operative complications. Six (33%) patients died during follow-up due to disease progression. Mean progression-free survival was 47 months (range 0 - 113). Conclusion  In conclusion, the overall survival was 50% for this group of patients with large sinonasal tumors. Progressive disease affects survival rate severely. Surgical complications were seen in five (28%) patients. Radiotherapy is associated with high complication rates. Radiation necrosis was a serious complication in two patients and could be treated with high dose steroids.