Treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of external auditory canal: A tertiary cancer centre experience

Abstract

Objective: Carcinoma of external auditory canal (EAC) is a rare disease with variable management strategies and prognosis. We aimed to analyze treatment modalities, prognostic factors and survival outcomes in patients of squamous cell carcinoma of EAC treated at our institution.

Methods: Forty-three patients of squamous cell carcinoma of EAC were analyzed for clinical presentation, stage, surgical procedures and radiotherapy (RT) modalities employed. Stell and McCormick staging system was used for staging of the patients. Progression free survival (PFS) was estimated by the use of Kaplan-Meier product-limit method. Log rank test was used to assess the impact of prognostic variables on PFS. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox hazard regression model. p value of <0.05 was considered significant for all statistical analysis.

Results: Median age was 56 years (range: 12-84 years). Male to female ratio was 31:12. Stage was T1, T2 and T3 in 2, 17 and 18 patients respectively. Sixteen patients underwent surgery. Thirty-six patients received RT (14 received definitive RT, 11 had post-operative RT and 11 had RT with palliative intent). Eight patients (16%) received chemotherapy (5 received concurrent with RT, 2 had adjuvant and 1 had neo-adjuvant chemotherapy). Nine patients (of 11 patients) achieved a complete response (CR) and 2 achieved a partial response (PR) after surgery plus post-operative RT. Nine patients and 5 patients respectively achieved CR and PR after definitive RT (with or without concurrent chemotherapy). Of the 11 patients who received palliative RT, 2 had very good objective response (>50%) and 7 patients had PR to palliative RT. After a median follow-up of 16 months, median PFS for the entire cohort was 14 months. Two-year PFS rates were 85.7%, 46.9% and 0% for patients treated with surgery and post-operative RT, definitive RT and palliative RT respectively. On univariate analysis, higher stage (p=0.05) and facial nerve palsy at presentation (p=0.0008) were significant predictors of inferior PFS.

Conclusion: Patients with carcinoma of EAC present mostly in advanced stage at our centre. Combined higher stage (T3) and facial nerve palsy at presentation portend poorer outcome. Combined modality treatment with surgery and radiotherapy should be advocated and palliative RT remains a reasonable treatment option in patients with advanced incurable disease.

Keywords: Carcinoma; External auditory canal; Radiotherapy.