Abstract
Background
Ear squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a tumor with a poor prognosis, due to a late initial diagnosis because of a concealment by primarily benign symptoms and due to the unfavorable localization including the infiltration of important structures such as the middle ear, mandibular joint or dura.
Patients and methods
We retrospectively examined 10 patients, medium age: 63.8 ± 9.3 years between 2002 and 2008 with a histological confirmed SCC of the external auditory canal. The median follow-up period was 20.5 months (range 7–60 months).
Results
The treatment involving surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy yielded a survival rate of 38.3 ± 11.3 months for T1 and a survival rate of 17.0 ± 3.0 months for T2–T4 tumors. 3/10 patients at T1 stage are under follow-up, all 7/10 (70%) patients at T2 and T4 stage did not survive 5 years.
Conclusion
The prognosis for ear SCC primarily depends on early clinical and histopathological diagnostics and requires a sufficient and standardized staging to determine the therapy involving surgery and radiochemotherapy.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Paparella MM, Shumrick DA, Gluckman JL, Meyerhoff WL (1991) Saunders, Philadelphia, London, pp 1253–1254
Paparella MM, Shumrick DA, Gluckman JL, Meyerhoff WL (1991) Saunders, Philadelphia, London, pp 1253–1254
Crabtree JA, Britton BH, Pierce MK (1976) Carcinoma of the external auditory canal. Laryngoscope 86:405–415
Ußmüller J, Hartwein J, Rauchfuß A, et al. (2001) Primary carcinoma in the auditory canal. Clinical picture, intratemporal growth patterns and operative strategy. HNO 49:256–263
Shu MT, Lin HC, Yang CC, et al. (2006) Squamous cell carcinoma in situ of the external auditory canal. J Laryngol Otol 120:684–686
Kinney SE, Wood BG (1987) Malignancies of the external ear canal and temporal bone: Surgical techniques and results. Laryngoscope 97:158–164
Stell PM (1984) Carcinoma of the external auditory meatus and middle ear. Clin Otolaryngol 9:281–299
Arriaga M, Curtin H, Takahashi H, et al. (1990) Staging proposal for external auditory meatus carcinoma based on preoperative clinical examination and computed tomography findings. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 99: 714–721
Moody SA, Hirsch BE, Myers EN (2000) Squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal: an evaluation of a staging system. Am J Otol 21:582–588
Grandis JR, Hirsch BE, Yu VL (1993) Simultaneous presentation of malignant external otitis and temporal bone cancer. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 119:687–689
Schwager K, Pfreundner L, Hoppe F, et al. (2001) Carcinoma of the External Auditory Canal and Middle Ear as an Interdisciplinary Challenge for Otosurgery and Radiotherapy. Laryngo-Rhino-Otol 80:196–202
Kinney SE (1989) Squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal. Am J Otol 1:111–116
Shih L, Crabtree JA (1990) Carcinoma of the external auditory canal: an update. Laryngoscope 100:1215–1218
Nyrop M, Grontved A (2002) Cancer of the External Auditory Canal. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 128: 834–837
Lobo D, Llorente JL, Suarez C (2008) Squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal. Skull Base 18: 167–172
Stell PM, McCormick MS (1985) Carcinoma of the external auditory meatus and middle ear. J Laryngol Otol 99: 847–850
Lederman M (1965) Malignant tumours of the ear. J Laryngol Otol 79:85–129
Gacek RR, Goodman M (1977) Management of malignancy of the temporal bone. Laryngoscope 87:1622–1634
Arena S, Keen M (1988) Carcinoma of the middle ear and temporal bone. Am J Otol 9:351–356
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fleiner, F., Jumah, M. & Göktas, Ö. Cancer of the external auditory canal-diagnostic and treatment. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 61, 270–274 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-009-0081-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-009-0081-x