Prognostic factors of maxillary sinus malignancies.

BACKGROUND: Analysis of a series of tumors of the maxillary sinus show contradictory outcome data. The purpose of this article was to study the prognostic factors that may have implications for patient management. METHODS: We present a retrospective review of 57 patients who underwent a maxillectomy over a 20-year period. RESULTS: At the time of presentation, 86% of patients had advanced local disease (T3-T4). The 5-year disease-specific survival rate of this series was 39%. No significant differences on survival were observed according the histology of the tumor (p = 0.213), extension to the infratemporal fossa (p = 0.314), and postoperative radiotherapy (p = 0.723). Factors that revealed a significant reduction of survival were skull base involvement (p = 0.013), involvement of the orbit (p = 0.043), and recurrent disease (p = 0.048). Multivariate analysis confirmed that the skull base and orbital involvement were significantly associated with disease-specific survival. CONCLUSION: Advanced T stage, base of skull involvement, orbital extension, and local recurrence are highly predictive of poor survival.