Abstract
Two cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the external auditory canal have been treated at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, from 1983 to 1992. The first case, a 56-year-old female, underwent total excision of the external auditory canal skin including the cartilage of the orifice, partial parotidectomy with preservation of the facial nerve and resection of the antero-inferior part of the external auditory canal bone, on May 17, 1985. This patient is now surviving without recurrence or metastasis for about 8 years. The second case, a 79-year-old female, underwent tumor resection with surrounding normal skin of the external auditory canal on January 27, 1988. This specimen was diagnosed as adenoid cystic carcinoma later, and then this patient was advised to have partial parotidectomy with preservation of the facial nerve and additional excision of the external auditory canal including skin, cartilage and bone. However, she refused to have additional surgery. This patient was carefully followed up at the outpatient clinic and showed neither recurrence nor metastasis for about 3 years. But she suddenly suffered from acute abdomen and died on February 24, 1992. The modalities of the treatment are discussed.
