Treatment Outcome and Patterns of Failure in Patients with Maxillary Sinus Cancer: Clinical Experience from a Regional Cancer Centre in North India

Treatment of maxillary sinus cancer poses several challenges because of its complex anatomy, close proximity to critical structures and majority of patients presenting at an advanced stage. Despite presence of several treatment approaches, the outcome in these cancers has remained dismal. This article examines its clinical behaviour and treatment outcome of these patients treated at our centre in past 7 years. In this retrospective study, 67 patients with carcinoma of maxillary sinus presented from January 2011 to December 2017 were analysed. All the patients reporting during this period were included except those who did not turn up after first visit. Of all the patients, 64.2% had squamous cell carcinoma. The majority of patients presented with advanced stage (IVA and IVB, 83.58%). Nodal disease at presentation was seen in seven patients (10.4%). Treatment to the primary site comprised of surgery and radiotherapy in 24 patients, radiotherapy alone in 22 patients and surgery alone in 12 patients. Statistical program for social sciences (SPSS) version 16 was used for all statistical analyses. The mean follow-up time was 25 months (range 3-72 months). Overall, 17 out of 41 patients who were treated with curative intent (41.5%) developed recurrence. Patients who underwent surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy did fairly better in terms of recurrence. Seven patients out of 17 (41.2%) could be salvaged by surgery or radiation. Only one patient developed distant metastasis to D8 vertebra. Patients who were treated with surgery and radiotherapy (either preoperative/adjuvant setting) had better disease-free survival. The results of the current study regarding the treatment of carcinoma of the maxillary sinus show feasibility and efficacy of multimodal therapy. Radical radiotherapy appears to be a feasible alternative in cases of inoperable tumours. Loco regional relapse remains a significant pattern of failure.