RESUMO
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.