Retrospective Study of Pediatric Sinonasal Tumors in a Tertiary Hospital Setting

BACKGROUND Pediatric sinonasal tumors are rare, accounting for about 4% of all pediatric head and neck neoplasms. Due to their nonspecific symptoms such as nasal obstruction, epistaxis, and facial pain, these tumors often present diagnostic challenges and lead to delays in managment. Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial to optimize clinical outcomes. CASE REPORT This is a retrospective review of 4 pediatric patients with diagnosis of sinonasal tumors at a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. The series includes 2 benign tumors, osteoma and juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma, and 2 malignant tumors, NK/T-cell lymphoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. Diagnostic workups included nasal endoscopy, CT, MRI, and PET-CT imaging, followed by histopathological confirmation. Benign tumors were successfully treated with image-guided endoscopic excision, with no evidence of recurrence during follow-up periods of 2 and 5 years, respectively, while malignant tumors required a multimodal approach, combining chemotherapy and radiotherapy under multidisciplinary care, and showed stabilization after treatment with continued surveillance. The variety in presentation and complexity of management underscore the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in this population. CONCLUSIONS This case series highlights the importance of early suspicion, comprehensive imaging, and individualized treatment plans in managing pediatric sinonasal tumors. The use of minimally invasive surgical techniques and preoperative embolization was effective in selected cases. The findings emphasize the role of multidisciplinary collaboration in optimizing outcomes for benign and malignant tumors. Future research should aim to develop standardized diagnostic algorithms and explore advanced diagnostic tools, such as molecular imaging, to facilitate earlier detection and improve treatment precision in pediatric sinonasal oncology.