Abstract
Background: Current goals for the treatment of maxillary sinus carcinoma include preservation of vision, eating, communication, and appearance as well as cure.
Methods: 121 Japanese patients who presented with maxillary sinus carcinoma between 1979 and 2005 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 77 males and 44 females, with a median age of 63 years. All patients underwent multimodality therapy including surgery through a sublabial incision, radiotherapy, and intra-arterial chemotherapy. The regional lymph nodes were treated only in patients with neck involvement.
Results: Mean follow-up period was 79 months. The 5-year overall survival rate and local control rate were 73% and 72%, respectively. The 5-year local control rate was 70% for patients with T2 lesions, 86% for patients with T3 lesions, 55% for patients with T4a lesions, and 52% for patients with T4b lesions. In patients with squamous cell carcinoma, the 5-year local control rate was 76%. In patients with non-squamous cell carcinoma, the 5-year local control rate was 54%. There was a significant difference in local control rates among these groups.
Conclusions: Control of the primary site is important in the curative treatment of maxillary sinus carcinoma. Combined therapy with conservative surgery, radiotherapy, and regional chemotherapy is effective for this carcinoma.
