Malignant neoplasms of the external auditory canal and temporal bone

In a review of 136 patients with squamous cell, basal cell, and salivary gland cancers involving the external auditory canal and temporal bone, the majority of patients had received prior treatment and came to us with recurrent tumor. Squamous cell carcinoma of the concha and cartilaginous ear canal behaved aggressively. Five-year survival in 35 patients with deep temporal bone involvement was 29%. The major reason for failure in this group was incomplete resection of disease. Postoperative irradiation was of no benefit when the cancer could not be completely excised. When compared with surgery alone, combined therapy with postoperative irradiation did improve local control in patients with completely resected lesions but did not demonstrate a corresponding increase in five-year survival.