Sinonasal Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma: A Brief Review of Literature

Objective: Review the clinical, histologic, and molecular features of sinonasal mucoepidermoid carcinoma (SN-MEC) with emphasis on the application and prognostic significance of MAML2 rearrangement. Main points: Location of MEC in the sinonasal region accounts for less than 0.1% of primary sinonasal malignancies. Primary SN-MEC most commonly affects the maxillary sinuses, and the mean age at diagnosis is 57 years. MAML2 translocation status aids in diagnosis but has no bearing on prognosis. The most significant prognostic criteria for SN-MEC are older age, tumor size gerater than 4 cm, higher grade, and advanced American Joint Committee on Cancer stage. Conclusions: SN-MEC is a rare entity that presents at a higher grade and has lower 5-year disease-specific survival when compared with MEC of the major salivary glands. Correct recognition is important because of the impact on clinical management and prognosis.