Maxillary Sinus Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Tertiary Hospital in the Philippines

Objective: To establish preliminary demographic and clinicopathologic data on Maxillary Sinus Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) in the Philippine General Hospital Methods: Design: Retrospective Case Series   Setting: Tertiary National University Hospital   Participants: Socio-demographic and clinical data from records of 22 patients admitted at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Philippine General Hospital from 2013-2016 and histopathologically confirmed to have Maxillary Sinus SCC, were collected and described using means and proportions. Results: There were 15 males and 7 females with a mean age of 50-years-old (range 24 to 77-years-old). Maxillary mass/swelling was the most common chief complaint.  The mean gap between initial symptoms and consult was 6.77 months.  Initial biopsies were obtained from the maxillary sinus in 16 patients, with 1 patient noted to have undergone malignant transformation from a prior intranasal squamous papilloma.  Staging was advanced (Stage IVA in 16, IVB in 4, and III in 2), with no patients with Stage I or II disease.  Sixteen (16) patients underwent surgery and radiotherapy, while 6 patients received radiotherapy (RT) with or without chemotherapy.  Regional and distant metastases were uncommon. Conclusion: In this series, maxillary sinus SCC occurs more in males, with a maxillary mass as the most common chief complaint.  Delay in treatment is common, with a mean gap of 6 months between initial symptoms and consult.  Neck node metastasis is uncommon, and most patients undergo surgery with radiotherapy as treatment.   Keywords: maxillary sinus cancer; paranasal sinus cancer; squamous cell carcinoma