Endoscopic surgery for squamous cell carcinoma in the nasal cavity and ethmoid sinus: A retrospective observational study

Objective

Reports of endoscopic surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity and ethmoid sinus are limited. Herein, we present a comprehensive account of the results obtained from performing endoscopic surgery based on the concept of en bloc resection.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study of patients who underwent nasal endoscopic surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity and ethmoid sinus at a hospital between July 2018 and December 2021. Primary endpoints were overall survival, relapse-free survival, and local recurrence-free survival. Data on tumor stage, tumor site of origin, postoperative treatment, and papilloma-related status were reviewed. Statistical analyses included the Kaplan–Meier method, Cox regression analysis, and Fisher's exact test.

Results

Twenty-two patients with a median age of 62 (range 27–84) years, comprising 15 male and 7 female, were included in this study, and the median duration of observation was 2.1 (range 0.6–4.3) years. The 2-year overall survival, relapse-free survival, and recurrence-free survival rates were 91.0%, 69.9%, and 79.0%, respectively. Cancer of the nasal cavity was significantly superior to that of the ethmoid sinus in terms of local recurrence-free survival (p = 0.03). The patients who underwent postoperative treatment had significantly worse recurrence-free survival rates than those who did not receive postoperative treatment (p = 0.03).

Conclusions

This study examined the results of the endoscopic treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity and ethmoid sinus with the concept of en bloc resection. Patients with ethmoid sinus carcinoma had a greater risk for local recurrence, and the prognosis for patients requiring postoperative treatment was poor.