Carcinoma of the ethmoid sinus

Abstract

Cancer of the ethmoid sinus is a rare tumor in the head and neck, accounting for less than 1 per cent of all such malignancies. This paper examines squamous cell carcinoma arising in the ethmoid sinus, the most common form of ethmoidal malignancy in a series reviewed at the University of Michigan. Sixteen cases diagnosed between 1964 and 1974 (inclusive) were included in this study. Peak incidence of the disease occurred in the seventh decade of life. All patients had a minimum follow-up of at least five years. The patients had relatively common nasal complaints that unfortunately represented an unusual and frequently fatal disease. The symptoms of ethmoid sinus cancer are reviewed, and the many modalities of treatment that can be used are discussed. The problems of staging ethmoid sinus cancer are elucidated, and difficulties with the suggested classification systems are discussed. Ultimately, only 29 per cent of the patients survived five years.