Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the clinical behavior of rare sinonasal malignancies. METHODS: Clinical data from the cases of rare sinonasal malignancies at Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute during 2001-2007 were extracted. Data for histologic type of tumor, tumor stage and survival were analyzed. RESULTS: Eighty-nine cases of the non-squamous cell malignancy were identified. The mean patient age was 54 years. In this study, we found minor salivary gland tumor in 31 patients, sarcoma in 19 patients, spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC) in 19 patients, undifferentiated carcinoma in 9 patients, lymphoma in 6 patients and melanoma in 3 patients. Adenoid cystic carcinoma exhibited the best survival rate (3 years survival rate was 77%), whereas melanoma and undifferentiated carcinoma exhibited poor survivals (1 year survival was 25% and 33%, respectively and 3 years survival rate is 0%). CONCLUSIONS: Adenoid cystic carcinoma is the most common squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the sinonasal track. Survival for the patients with undifferentiated carcinoma and melanoma involving the sinonasal track is poor.