Prognostic factors for squamous cell carcinoma of the temporal bone: extensive bone involvement or extensive soft tissue involvement?

Abstract

Conclusion: Extensive bone erosion correlated with a worse prognosis of the squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the temporal bone but extensive soft tissue involvement did not correlate with prognosis in this study. Resectability of the tumor seems to be major prognostic factor of temporal bone SCC.

Objective: Prognostic factors for SCC of the temporal bone were evaluated regarding initial clinical symptoms and radiographic imaging.

Patients and methods: Clinical symptoms of the patients with primary SCC of the external auditory canal (EAC) or middle ear (ME) were reviewed based on medical records. Correlation of clinical symptoms and cancer severity staging using the modified Pittsburgh classification was analyzed, along with disease-specific survival (DSS).

Results: Sixteen patients with primary SCC of the EAC (n=13) or ME (n=3) were included in the study population. DSS was not influenced by whether a hearing disturbance or otalgia was noted at the first medical examination. Extended bone involvement identified with imaging studies significantly correlated with worse prognosis (p<0.05). Prognoses of patients without extensive bone erosion were good, and extensive (> or =0.5 cm) soft tissue involvement did not correlate with prognosis in this study. Prognoses of patients with insufficient bone resection or no surgery were significantly poor (p<0.01).