Abstract
Background.
Our aim was to report the outcomes of treatment for sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC).
Methods.
Between September 1992 and October 2005, 15 patients were treated with curative intent with surgery (n = 1), surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy (n = 9), and definitive radiotherapy (RT) (n = 5). Follow‐up ranged from 11 to 151 months (median, 30); follow‐up on living patients ranged from 12 to 151 months (median, 22). No patient was lost to follow‐up.
Results.
Seven patients (47%) developed a recurrence from 3 to 50 months (median, 9) after treatment. The 3‐year outcomes were: local control, 78%; locoregional control, 65%; distant metastasis–free survival, 82%; cause‐specific survival, 77%, and survival, 67%. The local control rates versus treatment modality were: surgery, 0/1 (0%); surgery and postoperative RT, 7/7 (100%); preoperative RT and surgery, 2/2 (100%); and definitive RT, 2/5 (40%). One patient (7%) treated with surgery and postoperative RT sustained a fatal complication.
Conclusions.
Combined surgery and adjuvant RT likely offer the best chance of cure compared with either modality alone. The impact of adjuvant chemotherapy is unclear. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2008