Craniofacial resection for tumors of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses: a 25-year experience

BACKGROUND: Craniofacial resection is the established "gold standard" for surgical treatment of tumors affecting the anterior skull base. METHODS: This study analyzed 308 patients (220 males, 88 females) who had undergone craniofacial resection for sinonasal neoplasia with up to 25-year follow-up. RESULTS: An overall actuarial survival of 65% at 5 years and 47% at 10 years was found for the cohort as a whole. For patients with malignant tumors, the 5-year actuarial survival was 59%, falling to 40% at 10 years. For patients with benign pathology, the actuarial survival was 92% at 5 years falling to 82% at 10 years. Statistical analysis again identified brain involvement, type of malignancy, and orbital involvement as the 3 most significant prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: Analysis of one of the largest single institution cohorts over a 25-year period provides a baseline against which other approaches such as an entirely endoscopic skull base resection must be judged.