The Role of Regional Disease and Patterns of Treatment Failure in Primary Sinonasal Malignancies

Background The question how to treat the clinically negative neck in sinonasal malignancies is controversial. Objectives To investigate patterns of treatment failure and to assess outcome measures in patients with primary sinonasal malignancies. Methods Retrospective cohort study of patients treated for primary malignant sinonasal malignancies. Results Lymph node (LN) metastases at initial presentation were present in 8 of 152 patients (5.3%). Ipsi- and contralateral LN levels 1 and 2 were identified as nodal basins at risk. We found a 5-year overall survival (OS) of 75.2% and disease free survival of 61.1%. Among patients with cN0 neck, nodal recurrence free survival was not different between patients with and without elective neck treatment (P = .23). On logistic regression analysis, we found initial T classification as an independent factor for achievement of complete remission (CR) and OS. Conclusions LN metastases at initial presentation are rare and initial T classification was identified as the most important prognostic factor for OS and CR, emphasizing the need for a thorough initial staging of the primary tumor.