Sinus tumors invading the orbit

Forty -seven of 79 patients with sinus and paranasal tumors had clinical, radiographic or operative evidence of orbital involvement. Seventy percent of those patients with orbital extension had clinical or radiographic involvement of the orbit at the time of initial presentation. Common presenting signs and symptoms included proptosis, nasal obstruction or discharge, nasal mass, facial and/or eye pain, visual loss, facial and/or lid edema and diplopia. The most common tumor seen was squamous cell carcinoma. The maxillary sinus was the most frequent site of origin. Three patients were misdiagnosed as having sinusitis on initial evaluation. A diagnosis of sinusitis is tentative and should be reevaluated early with repeat roentgenographic studies and biopsy, especially in the presence of protracted facial and eye pain. When ordering CT scans, one must specifically request cuts of the base of the sinuses and skull as routine brain CT scans do not evaluate those regions. Two of four patients with intractable pain unrelieved by narcotics obtained pain relief with cisplatinum.