Role of Craniofacial Resection for Malignant Tumors Involving the Anterior Skull Base: Surgical Experience in a Single Institution

BACKGROUND: Craniofacial resection (CFR) has been regarded as a standard treatment for various tumors involving the anterior skull base. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of CFR for the patients with anterior skull base malignancies in our hospital. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 17 patients with anterior skull base malignancies treated with CFR between 2001 and 2012. Mean follow-up duration was 41 months (range, 2-103 months). RESULTS: Intracranial involvement was found in 11 patients (65%) and orbital extension in 6 patients (35%). Classical bifrontal craniotomy was combined with endoscopic endonasal approach in 14 patients and external approach in 3 patients. Vascularized flap was used for reconstruction of the anterior fossa floor in 16 patients (94%). The most common pathological type was squamous cell carcinoma (6 patients). Gross total resection was achieved in all cases. Postoperative complications developed in 4 patients (24%) and included local wound problem and brain abscess. One patient with liver cirrhosis died from unexpected varix bleeding after the operation. Although postoperative treatment, such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy, was performed in 14 patients, local recurrence was seen in 6 patients. The mean overall survival time after the operation was 69.0 months (95% confidence interval: 47.5-90.5 months) with a 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival rate of 82.3%, 76.5%, and 64.7%, respectively. Postoperative radiotherapy was found to be the powerful prognostic factor for favorable survival. CONCLUSION: Considering the higher local control rate and acceptable complication or mortality rate, CFR with adjuvant radiotherapy is a gold standard treatment option for malignant tumors involving anterior skull base, especially with extensive intracranial involvement.

Cáncer de senos paranasales y sus manifestaciones orales: reporte de dos casos clínicos / Paranasal sinus cancer and oral manifestations: report of two cases

Los carcinomas de senos paranasales son entidades poco frecuentes y cuando se diagnostican, generalmente ya se encuentran en estados avanzados de la enfermedad, dado que el proceso neoplásico en las etapas iniciales crece invadiendo las cavidades paranasales, para luego en etapas avanzadas producir la deformación de las corticales. Dentro de las manifestaciones clínicas se pueden presentar epistaxis, obstrucción nasal, dolor en zona maxilar, dolor o movilidad dentaria. Se presentan dos casos clínicos que dentro de las primeras manifestaciones cursaron con dolor de la zona maxilar y movilidad anormal de un diente. Al momento de realizar el diagnóstico definitivo los procesos tumorales se encontraban muy avanzados, comprometiendo diversas estructuras como seno maxilar, etmoidal, esfenoidal, y piso de órbita, lo que obliga a realizar grandes resecciones de la zona maxilofacial. El rol del odontólogo en el diagnóstico de la enfermedad podría ser de gran importancia, al sospechar que un aumento de volumen del reborde, la movilidad dentaria anormal o un dolor de la zona maxilar no siempre corresponden a causas odontogénicas.

Paranasal sinus cancer are rare entities, but when diagnosed, often already in advanced stages of the disease, because the neoplastic process in the initial stages grows invading the paranasal sinuses and then in advanced stages, produces deformation of cortical bone. Among the clinical manifestations epistaxis, nasal obstruction, pain in maxillary area, pain or tooth mobility may occur. We present two clinical cases in which within the first manifestations are the maxillary pain and abnormal tooth mobility. When making the final diagnosis, tumor processes were well advanced, engaging various structures as maxillary sinus, ethmoid, sphenoid, and orbital floor, forcing large resections perform maxillofacial area. The role of the dentist in the diagnosis of the disease could be of great importance, suspecting that an increase maxillary volume, abnormal tooth mobility or pain of the maxillary not always correspond with odontogenic causes.