Otalgia: An isolated symptom of malignant infratemporal tumors

Objective: This study aimed to review a series of 18 patients with malignant infratemporal fossa tumors who presented with otalgia as the primary symptom. Study Design: This was a retrospective case analysis. Setting: All patients were evaluated and treated at a tertiary care academic medical institution. Patients: Eighteen patients evaluated for otalgia in a normal-appearing ear, between July 1988 and July 1996, who were found to have a malignant infratemporal fossa tumor participated. Interventions: Diagnostic testing included radiographic evaluations and tissue sampling through fine-needle aspiration cytology. Treatment methods were histology dependent. Main Outcome Measures: The time between the onset of otalgia and the tumor diagnosis was recorded. Overall treatment outcomes were reviewed. Results: The period between the onset of otalgia and tumor diagnosis ranged from 4-21 months with a mean of 7.5 months. Adenoid cystic carcinoma was the most commonly seen tumor in this series of patients. Conclusions: The infratemporal fossa is a relatively protected region that may be the site of malignant neoplasms causing the isolated symptom of otalgia.