Objective: To study the clinical characters, management and the prognosis of patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the maxillary sinus.
Methods: The clinical data were analyzed retrospectively for 36 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the maxillary sinus to evaluate the treatment results of different modalities. The contribution of every factors influencing on survival were also analyzed. Survival analysis was performed by life table method, comparison among/between groups was performed using log-rank test, and multivariate analysis was carried out using Cox proportional hazard model.
Results: The 5-year survival rate was 58.33% in all patients, while they were only 75.0% and 42.9% in stage III and stage IV lesions respectively. The 5-year survival rate of 66.7% was obtained in patients who received surgery combined with radiotherapy,71.4% and 12.5% respectively in those treated by surgery and by radiotherapy alone. Multivariate analysis indicated that stage, treatment modality, and the tumour residues in the primary treatment were the predict factors for the prognosis.
Conclusions: Advanced adenoid cystic carcinoma should be treated by combined surgery and radiotherapy. Stage, treatment approach and short-term therapeutic response are the most important factors affecting the prognosis of the patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the maxillary sinus.