The clinical spectrum of malignant nasal tumors

Unlike other head and neck cancer, which is almost exclusively squamous cell carcinoma, nasal malignancies present a wide and varied spectrum of tumor types. Classification of these tumors is not standardized and treatment tends to be individualized. In a review of 35 patients with primary nasal malignancies, only 33% had squamous cell carcinoma. Glandular, neurogenic, and hemopoietic tumors accounted for the other major subgroups. Despite the diverse histopathological tumor types, the diagnosis, treatment, and clinical problems seem related more to the nasal location than to the actual type of tumor. Selected cases are presented to illustrate the clinical behavior and problems that occur with nasal tumors.