Sinonasal mucosal melanomas: defining profiles for better survival outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Sinonasal mucosal melanoma is an aggressive malignancy with a 5-year survival rate ranging from 20% to 39%. Despite the evolving surgical and radiotherapy techniques, and introduction of immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapy, overall survival rates remain poor. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona and the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau between 1984 and 2020; primary outcome measures were 3 and 5-year melanoma-specific survival (MSS). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards model were performed to identify predictors of survival. RESULTS: Fifty patients were included, the mean age was 70.4, MSS at 3 and 5 years was 51.2%, and 29.5%, respectively. The median follow-up was 39.6 months during which 46% presented locoregional recurrence and 36%, metastasis. The univariate and multivariate analyses found as survival predictors the N category, the treatment received, the surgical margins and the mitotic index. CONCLUSIONS: We found an overall 5-year MSS of 29.5%. Those patients with intention-to-cure (stages III and IVa) treated by surgery that were N0 at diagnosis, with < 10 mitoses per HPF showed a 5-year MSS rate of 74.1%. More studies will be needed to adequately define the patients' profiles that will benefit from a better survival outcome.

Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid fistula in the clivus.

INTRODUCTION: Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistulas are infrequent and only 10 cases in the literature have been located in the clivus. We describe two new cases of CSF fistulas in this site and review the literature. CASE REPORT: The first patient was a 52-year-old woman referred to our centre for intermittent rhinorrhea that had been diagnosed after an episode of meningitis. The second case was a 69-year-old man who was visited for rhinorrhea of one-year duration; he also developed meningitis during the preoperative study. In both cases, the spontaneous CSF fistula was diagnosed by beta-2-transferrin testing, CT scan and MRI. We performed an endonasal endoscopic transsphenoidal approach and used free grafts and vascularized flaps to close the clival defect. Treatment was successful in both cases. DISCUSSION: The physiopathology of spontaneous CSF fistulas remains unknown. Possible explanations given to date in this location are pulsatility of the basilar artery, repeated Valsalva maneuvers and Marfan's disease, the two latter also related to CSF fistulas in other locations. Closure of a CSF leak towards the nasal cavity is mandatory due to potential complications. Our results support the endoscopic transsphenoidal approach using free grafts and/or pediculated flaps as a good alternative to open surgery.

Treatment results for ethmoid sinus carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the results of treatment in patients with ethmoid sinus carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We performed a retrospective study of 34 patients with carcinoma of the ethmoid sinus, and collected the following data: age, sex, employment, tobacco and alcohol consumption, tumour-node-metastasis stage, treatment, and survival. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 64 years. Seventy-six per cent of patients were men and 24 per cent women. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent histological tumour type (44 per cent). Eleven patients were classified as T(2), six as T(3), six as T(4a) and 11 as T(4b). Two patients (6 per cent) had nodal metastasis at the time of diagnosis. The anterior skull base was involved in 17 patients (50 per cent) and the anterior orbital contents were affected in seven patients (21 per cent). The five-year actuarial observed survival rate for all patients was 44 per cent. CONCLUSIONS: Combined treatment with surgery and post-operative radiotherapy permitted good local control in patients with ethmoid sinus carcinoma. We do not recommend prophylactic neck treatment for ethmoid sinus carcinoma.

[Epidemiologic analysis of 72 carcinomas of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses]. / Análisis epidemiológico de 72 carcinomas de fosas y senos paranasales.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to define the epidemiological aspects of carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 72 carcinomas of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Various sites, age and sex distribution, drug consumption, TNM stage grouping and treatment were reported. RESULTS: The average age was 63. Seventy- five percent of patients (54/72) were male and 25% (18/72) female. The site of origin was paranasal sinuses in 46 patients (64%), 30 in ethmoid sinus, 15 in maxillary sinus and 1 in sphenoid sinus. Twenty-six patients (36%) were located in nasal cavity. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent histological type in both localizations. The 5-year adjusted survival rate for all patients was 60% (IC: 54-66), 36% (IC: 28-44) for paranasal sinus carcinoma and 86% (IC: 79-93) for nasal cavity carcinoma. The 5-year adjusted survival rate according to the T distribution in 46 carcinomas paranasal sinus was 80% T2, 71% T3, 19% T4a and 6% T4b.(p = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: Carcinoma of nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses represent a group of tumors that differ from the rest of carcinomas of the head and neck.