[Malignant ethmoid-sphenoidal tumors. 130 cases. Retrospective study]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Oncology
• Head and Neck Cancer

Context:

• Ethmoidal cancers are rare but aggressive tumors.
• Treatment involves surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, often with significant morbidity.
• Understanding treatment efficacy and prognostic factors is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose:

• To analyze treatment outcomes and survival rates for 130 ethmoidal cancers treated between 1984 and 1996.
• To evaluate the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgical approach, and postoperative radiotherapy on patient survival.
• To identify prognostic factors influencing survival in ethmoidal cancer patients.

Summary:

• A retrospective analysis of 130 ethmoidal cancers, predominantly adenocarcinomas (ADKE, 74%), revealed varying treatment responses.
• Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 93 patients, with complete response in 21.5%. Survival rates were significantly higher (100% at 5-10 years) for complete responders.
• Tumor extension (T3-T4b) and histology (adenocarcinoma vs. epidermoid carcinoma/melanoma) impacted survival. Postoperative radiotherapy is recommended for T3-T4b tumors.

Impact:

• Complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a strong positive prognostic indicator for ethmoidal cancers.
• Advanced tumor stages (T4a, T4b) and certain histologies (epidermoid carcinoma, melanoma) are associated with poor prognosis.
• Findings support the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and tailored radiotherapy for advanced ethmoidal cancers to improve survival outcomes.