Clinical Characteristics and Long-Term Outcomes following Surgery Combined with Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Patients with Frontal Sinus Malignancies

Objectives  Primary frontal sinus malignancies (FSMs) are the rarest sinonasal cancers. This study aimed to determine clinicopathologic characteristics of primary FSMs and provide long-term survival outcomes. Design  This study is a retrospective review. Setting  The study was conducted at a tertiary medical center. Participants  Patients who participated in this study were diagnosed with primary FSMs. Main Outcome Measures  Median survival time is the primary outcome measure of this study. Results  In this series, the median age was 48 years (30-53 years) and all patients were male. There were five cases with squamous cell carcinoma and one with osteosarcoma. All cases presented with locally advanced disease without regional lymphatic metastasis, including five cases of stage III and one case of stage II. The two most common pathways of tumor invasion were as follows: local tumor broke posteriorly through bone wall and invaded dura mater, followed by frontal lobe; local tumor infiltrated downward through the floor of frontal sinus into ethmoid sinus, thereafter invaded laterally orbit and orbital contents. All patients received surgery followed by postoperative radiotherapy at the total doses of 50 to 75.95 Gy. Among them, only one patient underwent R0 resection, the rest of patients underwent R1/R2 resection. With a median survival time of 56 months (32-76 months), two patients receiving R1/R2 resection developed treatment failure and died within 5 years, including one case with local recurrence and one with local recurrence, thereafter distant metastasis. Conclusion  The majority of FSMs presented with peripherally invasive progression lesions which led to a high ratio of R1/R2 resection. Surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy might result in satisfactory efficacy.

Sinonasal Malignancies Involving the Frontal Sinus: A Mono-Institutional Experience of 84 Cases and Systematic Literature Review

Frontal sinus involvement by malignant tumors is a rare finding. Therefore, a systematic literature review along with a personal case series may contribute to defining more accurately the epidemiology, treatment options, and outcomes of these neoplasms. This is a retrospective review of patients affected by frontal sinus malignancies surgically treated in a tertiary-care referral center over a period of 20 years. Moreover, a systematic literature review of studies describing frontal sinus cancers from 2000 to date was performed according to PRISMA guidelines in order to analyze current evidence about the treatment and outcomes of such a rare disease. Our retrospective review was basedon 84 cases, treated with an exclusive endoscopic approach in 43 cases (51.2%), endoscopic approach with frontal osteoplastic flap in 6 cases (7.1%), and transfacial or transcranial approaches in 35 cases (41.7%). The five-year overall, disease-specific, disease-free, and recurrence-free survivals were 54.6%, 62.6%, 33.1%, and 59.1%, respectively. Age, dural involvement, type of surgical resection, and surgical margin status were significantly associated with the survival endpoints. In conclusion, the involvement of the frontal sinus is associated with a poor prognosis. Multidisciplinary management, including specific histology-driven treatments, represents the gold standard for improving outcomes and minimizing morbidity.

Reconstruction in open anterior skull base surgery: A review and algorithmic approach

PURPOSE

Defects resulting from open resection of anterior skull base neoplasms are difficult to reconstruct. Our objective was to review the literature and describe an evidence-based algorithm that can guide surgeons reconstructing anterior skull base defects.

METHODS

A research librarian designed database search strategies. Two investigators independently reviewed the resulting abstracts and full text articles. Studies on reconstruction after open anterior skull base resection were included. Studies of lateral and posterior skull base reconstruction, endoscopic endonasal surgery, traumatic and congenital reconstruction were excluded. Based on the review, a reconstructive algorithm was proposed.

RESULTS

The search strategy identified 603 unique abstracts. 53 articles were included. Adjacent subsites resected, defect size, radiotherapy history, and contraindications to free tissue transfer were identified as key factors influencing decision making and were used to develop the algorithm. Discussion of the reconstructive ladder as it applies to skull base reconstruction and consideration of patient specific factors are reviewed. Patients with a prior history of radiotherapy or with simultaneous resection of multiple anatomic subsites adjacent to the anterior skull base will likely benefit from free tissue transfer.

CONCLUSIONS

Reconstruction of anterior skull base defects requires knowledge of the available reconstructive techniques and consideration of defect-specific and patient-specific factors.

Mini Osteoplastic Flap Through Supra-Eyebrow Incision for Primary Frontal Sinus Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Primary carcinoma of the frontal sinus is very rare, with an incidence of 0.3% to 1.0% of all paranasal sinus carcinomas. Although complete resection with a clear margin is definitely essential to achieve tumor control, radical surgery with osteoplastic flap using bicoronal incision has significant postoperative morbidities including scalp numbness, hair loss, and frontalis palsy. This article reports a rare case of primary frontal sinus squamous cell carcinoma extending to the orbit, which was treated successfully by mini osteoplastic flap through supra-eyebrow incision combined transnasal endoscopic approach.

Superior orbitectomy and chemotherapy in a dog with frontal sinus squamous cell carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature

A superior orbitectomy can be a challenging but accomplishable surgical option in dogs with a tumor which involves the dorsal bony part of the orbit. The procedure described in this report can be vision‐sparing and life prolonging even in a case of an aggressive growing frontal sinus squamous cell carcinoma.

Frontal Sinus Malignancies: A Population-Based Analysis of Incidence and Survival

OBJECTIVE

Primary neoplasms originating in the frontal sinus are rare. As such, existing literature describing frontal sinus malignancies (a subset of frontal sinus neoplasms) is limited. Prognostic implications of these malignancies are difficult to determine. This study seeks to analyze trends in epidemiology, clinicopathology, incidence, and survival for these rare malignancies.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective database analysis.

METHODS

The SEER 18 database (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results; 1973-2012) was searched for frontal sinus malignancies from 1973 to 2012 and analyzed for demographic and clinicopathologic trends. The Kaplan-Meier model was utilized for survival analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 171 cases of frontal sinus malignancies were identified. Incidence was 0.011 per 100,000 individuals. The mean age at diagnosis was 61.1 years, with males constituting the majority of cases (61.4%). 80.1% of patients were white, 9.4% Asian, and 8.2% black. The average tumor size was 3.8 cm. The most common histology encountered was squamous cell carcinoma (39.8%). Overall 5-year disease-specific survival was 44.2%. Five-year disease-specific survival was highest for mature B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (72.3%) and lowest for adenocarcinomas (15.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

Malignant tumors of the frontal sinus are rare and are more common in males. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common entity encountered. Of the 4 most common histologies, survival is best for mature B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and worst for adenocarcinomas.

Primary carcinoma of the frontal sinus with extensive intracranial invasion: A case report and review of the literature

Primary carcinoma of the frontal sinus is quite rare, with an incidence of 0.3–1.0% of all paranasal sinus carcinomas. The early diagnosis is often difficult and the condition is often mistakenly considered to involve mucoceles, pyoceles or osteomyelitis. The present study reports the case of a 66-year-old male with squamous cell carcinoma originating in the frontal sinus. The presenting symptoms were a cutaneous nodule on the left side of the forehead and a gradually progressive headache. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated erosion of the ethmoid sinus, frontal lobe and orbit. The radical resection under frontal craniotomy was performed followed by post-operative radiotherapy. Six months after the surgery, the MRI examinations did not find any recurrence, and the patient currently lives symptom-free. The present study illustrates that frontal sinus cancer should be diagnosed early with caution. Total surgical resection followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, used singly or in combination, may result in favorable outcomes. The current study discusses the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of the present case and reviews the associated literature to emphasize the importance of an early identification of this rare disease.

Primary frontal sinus squamous cell carcinoma in three dogs treated with piroxicam combined with carboplatin or toceranib

In human medicine, primary frontal sinus squamous cell carcinoma (pFS-SCC) is not frequently reported. In veterinary medicine, frontal sinus SCC is exclusively described as an extension of nasal cavity SCC. To our knowledge, this is the first publication concerning canine pFS-SCC, diagnosed using histology or cytology and medical imaging, in three dogs. The tumours extended into the orbit or brain cavity, without nasal involvement. Treatment was initiated with piroxicam-carboplatin. Prolongation of carboplatin delivery with a low dose intensity was performed on dogs with a favourable initial response. Dog 1 achieved a complete remission (CR), but was euthanized 344 days after start of therapy. Dog 2, still alive 3 years after start of therapy and in CR, received 14 carboplatin deliveries. In dog 3, after changing the treatment protocol into piroxicam-toceranib, a significant tumour reduction occurred, but the dog was euthanized after 195 days because of a relapse.