Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinus Cancer

Introduction

These are tumors arising from nasal cavity and the four paired paranasal sinuses (frontal, ethmoid, maxillary, and sphenoid).

Signs and Symptoms

Diagnostic criteria

Nasal obstruction, epistaxis, proptosis, double vision, cheek mass, loss of sensation of the cheek and loosening or pain of the teeth

Investigation

• FBC, RFT, LFT
• Chest X-ray
• Abdominal Ultrasound
• CT scan and/or MRI of the para nasal sinuses and neck
• Direct fibre-optic endoscopy
• Endoscopic guided biopsy of the primary tumor for histopathology

Staging: TNM Treatment:

• Treatment is by surgery and or radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy.
• Surgical resection of the primary tumor and neck dissection followed by radiotherapy can be done in early disease stages. It may also be used for management persistently enlarged lymph nodes, persistent or recurrent disease after radiotherapy.
• Stage I–IINO: complete surgical resection followed by radiotherapy alternatively definitive radiotherapy.
• Radiotherapy can be given as an alternative definitive treatment, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy. It is used in palliative care for advanced diseases
• Chemotherapy is used in induction, concurrent or adjuvant therapy.