Malignant tumours of nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses in north of Iraq a fifteen years : retrospective study

Abstract EN

Objectives: To identify the different pathological types of malignant tumors of nasal cavity' and paranasal sinuses, their different clinical aspects, treatment received and prognosis in north of Iraq.

Design : Retrospective study.

Settings: Files of patients treated in the hospital of oncology and nuclear medicine in Mosul over 15 years period (1980-1994).

Main outcome measures: Types, incidence, age and sex distribution, anatomical sites, clinical presentation, staging, method of treatment and prognosis.

Results: They constituted 0.51% of all malignancies and 2.13 % of head and neck cancers.

Sinus tumours affected both sexes equally as well as both sides.

Nasal cavity tumours were more common in male (male/female=1.4/1) and in the right side (right/left=1.33/1).The commonest age at presentation was the fifth decade.

The most common presenting symptom was facial and nasal pain with average delay in diagnosis of about 8.5 months.

Tumours of epithelial origin formed the majority of cases (85.68%).

All maxillary and ethmoidal cases were advanced at time of diagnosis (T3 or T4), while 60% of nasal cavity tumours were T1 and T2.

21.87% of patients had palpable cervical lymph nodes at presentation.

The majority of patients received radiotherapy alone, few cases had surgery alone or both, but prognosis was generally unsatisfactory conclusion: Malignant tumours of nose and sinuses are rare in north of lraq, are usually advanced at presention , and carry poor prognosis.

keywords: Malignant Tumours , Nasal Cavity , Paranasal Sinuses