Carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses: an analysis of radical radiotherapy.

Abstract

A retrospective analysis was conducted of 152 patients with carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses who were treated with radical radiotherapy between 1975-1984. Stages at presentation were T1 11%, T2 18%, T3 27%, and T4 44%. The median follow-up was 61 months. The overall corrected 5-year survival was 47% and by T stage, T1 86%, T2 82%, T3 49%, T4 25%. Local control was achieved in 45% of cases following radiotherapy. Salvage surgery was attempted in 20 patients where radiotherapy failed and was successful in eight. Nodal disease was present in 6.5% of patients at presentation and 10.5% developed nodal disease after treatment. Nodal disease as sole relapse occurred in four patients and was associated with prolonged survival following radical salvage treatment. Distant metastatic disease occurred in 25 patients and of these 17 (68%) also had locoregional failure. Osteoradionecrosis occurred in three cases, and a further three cases developed bilateral blindness. We conclude that radical radiotherapy achieves results comparable to published data for combined surgery and radiotherapy with acceptable toxicity.