Primary carcinoma of the external auditory canal and meatus. Review of the literature and report of a case

Abstract

AbstractMalignant disease originating in the external auditory canal and meatus is one of the most uncommon lesions seen in otolaryngological practice. Many of the textbooks do not even mention the condition, although Politzer1 has accurately described it. Even in the larger clinics it is seldom seen. Robinson2 states that among 212,000 cases at the Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital, New York between 1904 and 1924, only 19 cases were seen of carcinoma of the external ear and canal. Story3 reports that no case was seen in the largest aural hospital in Ireland in 17 years. Fraser4 says that only three cases of malignancy of the external auditory canal were seen by him in private practice among 646 patients between 1906 to 1929, inclusive. In the Department of Otology, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh,5 of 6,605 cases of disease of the external ear and meatus, 13 were malignant. Connal6 mentions four carcinomas and two sarcomas among 15,000 cases in the General Ear Hospital, of Glasgow. Pritchard7 stated that he had not seen a dozen cases of epithelioma beginning in the skin of the meatus in over 25 years' practice. McBride8 had seen only three cases in 20 years at the Edinburgh Infirmary and in private practice. Bezold9 found only four among 20,000 as cases. Broders10 reports by far the highest incidence, 14.28 per cent of involvement of the external auditory canal among 63 cases of carcinoma of the ear. The experience of West11a likewise is unusual. In two years, seven cases were seen by him in St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, six at least presenting good evidence of origin in the meatus. Bonner12a claimed that they were fairly common and often overlooked. He had seen five or six in a period of a few years.