Paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity cancer: different radiotherapeutic options, results and late damages.

From 1970 to 1983, 69 patients, affected by malignant epithelial tumors of paranasal cavities and nasal fossae, were treated with radiotherapy at the Radiology Institute of the University and Radiotherapy Hospital Department of Florence. Primary carcinoma of the maxillary sinus occurred in 44 patients, of the nasal cavity in 20, and of the other sinuses in 5. Most of the patients had locally advanced lesions (63 T3-4: 91.5%) according to the adopted TNM system (Lederman-Gadeberg, Sisson-Jesse). Crude survival data showed 35% and 13% of NED patients at 2 and 5 years, respectively. Local progression was the most important cause of death; patients relapsed within 2 years. The actuarial 5-year survival, corrected for causes of death other than disease, was 32% for the overall series, 32% for maxillary sinus, and 41% for the nasal cavity. There was no difference in survival in patients treated with conventional fractionation (CF) vs. multiple daily fractionation (MDF) -30% vs. 33% at 5 years. The late damages of the radiation therapy in 22 patients without local disease, with a minimum follow-up of 2 years, is also analyzed.