Patterns of relapse of squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus.

Ninety-five M0 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus were treated mainly with combined surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. They were staged surgically according to the American Joint Committee TNM classification: 3 were T2N0, 55 T3N0, 27 T4N0 and 10 T3-4N1-3 patients. Relapse developed in 66 patients (69%): one (33%), 35 (64%), 22 (81%) and 8 (80%), respectively. All patients experienced relapse within 2 years after diagnosis. Local recurrence developed during the course of disease in 52 (79%) of the 66 patients who relapsed. Three patients with cervical relapse and one with local recurrence were successfully salvaged with rescue surgery. Local control achieved in 39 (41%) of the 95 patients: 2 (67%), 28 (51%), 7 (26%) and 3 (30%) in T2N0, T3N0, T4N0 and T3-4N1-3 patients, respectively. Autopsy findings of 17 patients are presented. An impact of computed tomography on staging of maxillary sinus tumors is discussed.