Anterior cranial fossa tumors

Abstract

The anterior cranial fossa may be invaded by malignant or nonmalignant tumors arising in the orbit, orbital contents, nose, nasopharynx, or frontal, ethmoid, or sphenoid sinuses. Skin and maxillary tumors can also spread to the skull base. One must be aware of this and assess the situation with the neurosurgeon, and use coronal and axial CAT scans. The approach is intracranial and extracranial, with total en bloc tumor resection under frozen section control. In nonmalignant tumors immediate reconstruction is performed; in malignant tumors, especially recurrent ones, the reconstruction is delayed twelve to eighteen months to lessen the chances of later recurrences. With this approach, recurrences have been few and survival rates excellent, even in advanced recurrent lesions.