Endonasal endoscopic surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the sinonasal cavities and skull base: Oncologic outcomes based on treatment strategy and tumor etiology

BACKGROUND: Oncologic outcomes for sinonasal and skull base squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) treated with an endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) needs investigation. METHODS: Patients with SCC treated with EEA were stratified by treatment strategy and tumor etiology and reviewed. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients were treated with EEA, or which 27 had definitive resection and 7 had debulking surgery. In the definitive group, 17 had de novo tumors and 10 had tumors arising from inverted papilloma. Definitive resection was associated with better 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) than debulking (62% vs 17%; p = .02; and 78% vs 30%; p = .03). Patients with de novo tumors had similar 5-year DFS and OS to those arising from inverted papilloma (62% vs 62%; p = .75; and 75% vs 86%; p = .24). CONCLUSION: Definitive resection of sinonasal SCC with EEA provides sound oncologic outcomes. SCC arising from inverted papilloma does not have prognostic significance.