Contemporary clinical and treatment perspectives, and survival analysis of paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity malignancies

Background Paranasal sinus and nasal cavity malignancies are rare and histologically diverse, often presenting with delayed diagnosis. Understanding their demographic, clinicopathological, and therapeutic characteristics is critical for optimizing outcomes. This retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of paranasal sinus and nasal cavity malignancies. Patient data were analyzed in terms of histopathology, demographics, clinical presentation, tumor characteristics, treatment modalities, and 5-year survival outcomes, with additional subgroup analyses performed according to tumor location. Results A total of 119 patients (male 58.8%, female 41.2%) were included. 51.1% were smokers, and 43.9% were non-office workers. In terms of presentation, 40.4% reported nasal symptoms as their primary concern, whereas symptoms related to the oral cavity accounted for 22.0% while facial symptoms made up 11.0% of the reported symptoms. The mean duration of diagnosis was 5.2 months. Tumor types included squamous cell carcinoma (40.3%), sarcomas (16.8%), minor salivary gland tumors (14.3%), hematolymphoid tumors (11.8%), neuroectodermal tumors (8.4%), non-squamous cell carcinomas (6.7%), and metastases (1.7%). Most (55.5%) underwent transfacial procedures, while 21.0% were treated endoscopically. Neck lymph nodes were detected in 19 (16.0%) and 16 (13.5%) underwent neck dissection. The rate of adjuvant treatment was 54.7%, and 15.5% of the patients received primary chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 48.9%, the disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 42.4%, and the disease-specific survival (DSS) rate was 66.3% for all. Conclusion By thoroughly evaluating patient and tumor factors, it is possible to obtain similar or even improved survival outcomes within specific tumor groups.