Adenocarcinoma of the Ethmoid Sinuses. A Review of 46 Cases

Objective: To describe the clinical and radiological presentation, management, and outcomes of adenocarcinoma of the ethmoid sinuses Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of the 46 patients managed for adeno-carcinoma of the ethmoid sinuses at a teaching hospital in Toulouse, France, over an 11-year period (1992-2002). Of the 38 patients with operable tumors, 36 were treated with surgery followed by radiation therapy and 2 were also given neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The 8 remaining patients received palliative therapy. Results: Mean follow-up was 3.7 years. Actuarial survival rates were 70.8 % after 3 years and 62.2 % after 5 years. Discussion: As part of the pretreatment work-up, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging used in combination provide 98.5 % agreement with histology. The management of adenocarcinoma of the ethmoid sinuses is not standardized. We recommend radiation therapy and surgery when curative therapy is feasible. Radiation therapy plus chemotherapy can be sued for inoperable tumors. Nasal endoscopy is useful for diagnosing and monitoring the tumor; its contribution to the treatment is being evaluated