Frontal sinus adenocarcinoma.

Márcio Abrahão,Fernando Antonio Patriani Ferraz,Luiz Augusto Nascimento,Onivaldo Cervantes,Ana Paula Vieira Gonçalves,Marcelo Luis Mudo,Rogério Aparecido Dedivitis,Rodrigo Oliveira Santos,Roberto Yamashita

doi:10.1590/s1516-31802000000400009

Márcio Abrahão, Fernando Antonio Patriani Ferraz + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s1516-31802000000400009

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Abstract

Paranasal sinus cancer is considered rare, with an incidence of less than 1 per 100,000 per year, with the frontal sinus being the primary site in only 0.3%. We report a case of adenocarcinoma arising in the frontal sinus. Case report. A 59-year-old woman, secretary, came in February 1998 with a 4-month history of low intensity frontal headache. She denied contact with wood dust. On examination a non-tender swelling was noted over her right forehead next to the medial aspect of the right orbit. CT scan showed a soft-tissue mass involving frontal sinus with intracranial invasion through the posterior wall. The anterior ethmoid sinus and the medial aspect of the right orbit were also involved. MRI demonstrated dural thickening in communication with the frontal mass. She underwent an en-bloc tumor resection by craniotomy including orbital clearance. Histology revealed an adenocarcinoma. After surgery she had tumor recurrence, and chemotherapy and radiotherapy were started resulting in partial improvement.

Highlights

Cancer of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses is relatively rare with an incidence of less than 1 per 100,000 persons per year,[1] and represents only 3 % of all head and neck malignancies.[2, 3] Among paranasal sinuses, the frontal sinus is one of the least affected with an incidence of about 0.3 %.2 The symptoms are vague, simulating inflammatory diseases, which is why these tumors are often diagnosed at an advanced stage
In the frontal sinus, squamous cell carcinoma is far more frequent than adenocarcinoma with a ratio of about 20:1.7 Malignant tumors of respiratory tract are strongly associated with exogenous factors, especially from industrial processes such as production of chromium, nickel, mustard gas and polycyclic hydrocarbons, and with aflatoxins, which are associated with squamous cell carcinoma
In contrast to ethmoid sinuses, where adenocarcinoma is predominant, and in spite of the anatomical proximity, adenocarcinoma arising in the frontal sinus is an exception

Summary

Frontal sinus adenocarcinoma

Universidade Federal de São Paulo / Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil abstract. We report a case of adenocarcinoma arising in the frontal sinus. CASE REPORT: A 59-year-old woman, secretary, came in February 1998 with a 4-month history of low intensity frontal headache. CT scan showed a soft-tissue mass involving frontal sinus with intracranial invasion through the posterior wall. The anterior ethmoid sinus and the medial aspect of the right orbit were involved. MRI demonstrated dural thickening in communication with the frontal mass. She underwent an en-bloc tumor resection by craniotomy including orbital clearance. After surgery she had tumor recurrence, and chemotherapy and radiotherapy were started resulting in partial improvement

INTRODUCTION

CASE REPORT

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DISCUSSION