Cell carcinoma of the paranasal sinuses and skull base.

PURPOSE: To evaluate patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the paranasal sinus and skull base for factors that might predict clinical outcome. METHODS: A multi-institutional 13-year retrospective review of anterior skull base malignancies. RESULTS: Of 73 patients with anterior skull base malignancies, squamous cell carcinoma was the most prevalent-30 patients or 41%. Twenty-three patients underwent craniofacial surgery with or without adjuvant chemotherapy. Seven patients, deemed unresectable or not willing to have surgery, were treated with standard radiation protocols often with chemotherapy. The 3- and 5-year survival rates after surgery were 32% and 16%, respectively, compared to a 28% survival rate at 3 and 5 years for the nonsurgical group. Most tumors were in advanced stages accounting for a relatively poor survival in both groups. A Cox regression analysis demonstrated that age (P = .0172) was an independent determinant of poor outcome. Although 3- and 5-year survival of tumors free of sphenoid sinus, dura, retromaxillary, and ptyerygoid space, and orbit treated with surgery showed no significant difference to those patients with involvement, their median time of survival was increased for all anatomical regions. CONCLUSIONS: Squamous cell carcinoma of the sinus invading the skull base carries a very poor prognosis regardless of treatment modality. Surgery with adjunctive radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy offers a survival advantage over nonsurgical methods, but treatment should be individualized weighing prognostic factors, such as age, stage, and anatomical extension with morbidity of treatment.

Intradermal positivity after negative prick testing for inhalants.

OBJECTIVE: Examine the incidence of positive intradermal tests after a negative skin prick test for 24 inhalant antigens. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective study. Charts from patients who underwent modified quantitative testing (MQT) over a 3-year period were reviewed. Patients were initially tested with Multi-Test II. Subjects with negative wheals to a specific allergen were then tested with a 1:500 weight:volume intradermal injection of that allergen. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-three patients underwent MQT for 24 antigens. Allergens with the highest incidence of positive intradermal wheals after negative prick testing were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae at 26.67%. Allergens with elevated incidence of positive intradermals included fusarium, cockroach, cocklebur, rough marsh elder, and ragweed, all with incidences of 16% to 19%. CONCLUSION: Positive intradermal responses after negative prick testing occur commonly. Future study is needed to determine the generalizability and clinical significance of these findings. EBM RATING: C-4.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) transcripts in malignant inverted papilloma are from integrated HPV DNA.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) sequences in nasal inverted papilloma (IP) lesions and to determine whether HPV is involved in the progression of IP to sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study was performed on 14 patients diagnosed with IP within the last 12 years. Three of these 14 patients developed SCC. METHODS: Eighteen formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were obtained for these 14 patients. After DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed, followed by hybridization using HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 45, and 52 specific DNA probes, in an attempt to identify HPV type in each specimen. After RNA extraction, the integration status of the HPV genome was evaluated based on the relative abundance of E7 and E5 viral transcripts, assessed by quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS: HPV sequences were detected in samples from 3 of the 14 patients with IP. Of the three patients with SCC, HPV sequences were detected in two patients, whereas one patient was negative for the oligoprobes tested. Of the 11 patients diagnosed only with IP, 1 patient was positive for HPV DNA (HPV type 11). This difference in HPV positivity between IP and SCC was not statistically significant (P = .09, Fisher's Exact test, two tailed). Viral transcripts were detected in both patients with SSC who were HPV positive. Because HPV early transcripts are polycistronic, loss of 3' transcript sequences (E5) and retention of 5' sequences (E7) indicates integration. One of the SSC containing HPV 18 sequences showed a E7/E5 ratio of 776:1. The other SSC showed E7 transcripts and an absence of E5 transcripts CONCLUSION: HPV transcripts were present in SCC positive for HPV, and the relative level of E7 to E5 transcripts indicates integration of the viral genome. These findings are suggestive of HPV having an active role in the lesion. More extensive studies are needed to determine the exact role of HPV in IP and progression to SCC.

Pulmonary involvement in a case of juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

Juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis is primarily a disease of children and adolescents. Although most patients experience spontaneous regression at a later age, some patients continue to be affected throughout their lives. We report the case of a 35-year-old woman with a 33-year history of juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis who developed pulmonary dissemination with malignant transformation. Malignant transformation is the most feared sequela of pulmonary dissemination, and it should be addressed aggressively. If treated promptly, the patient can enjoy prolonged survival. Computed tomography is superior to plain radiography for detecting and evaluating the extent of disease.