Population-Based Results in the Management of Sinonasal and Ventral Skull Base Malignancies

Abstract

Population-based cancer registries allow for data collection on the scale of large populations, outside the limits of a single institution, and facilitate study of rare entities. The SEER database has been used to study more than 7000 cases encompassing a wide variety of relatively rare sinonasal malignant histologies. Clinically useful parameters have been gleaned from these analyses. Important limitations, such as omission of chemotherapy data, surgical approach used, type of radiation administered, and selection and confounding bias, should be considered. Nevertheless, population-based analyses yield readily generalizable and clinically relevant information regarding the management of sinonasal malignancies for the practicing clinician.

Keywords: Anterior skull base malignancy; Population-based analysis; Registry data; Ventral skull base malignancy.