Carcinoma of the paranasal sinuses. Results of a prospective pilot study

Sixty patients with paranasal sinus cancer were treated from January 1976 until July 1981 according to a standard protocol in which surgery is combined with a low dose of irradiation and a topically applied cytostatic drug. The local control rate was 65%. Mutilation was clearly reduced. The actuarial 2-year and 5-year survival rate was 76% and 65%, respectively. The actuarial 5-year survival rate for squamous cell carcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma of the maxillary sinus was 52%. For adenocarcinoma of the ethmoid sinus the actuarial 5-year survival rate was 100%. The results of this prospective pilot study suggest that it may be possible to achieve better results with less aggressive treatment.