Abstract
Objective: Sinonasal malignancies are uncommon neoplasms with several histological subtypes, most commonly treated with surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate complications and survival, focusing on differences between elderly and younger patients undergoing surgery.
Method: Medical charts of 107 surgically treated patients (73 under 70 years and 34 aged 70 years or older) in a tertiary referral center with sinonasal malignancy were retrospectively analyzed. Comorbidity was scored according to the ACE-27 system. Treatment outcomes were analyzed by collecting treatment-related complications scores and survival data.
Results: Although comorbidity was more common in elderly patients, no significant difference was found in complications. In multivariate analysis length of surgery was the only predictor for complication. Furthermore, no significant difference was seen in survival or recurrence of young and elderly patients. Young patients with squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma had a worse overall survival than patients with other histological subtypes. However, in elderly patients no significant difference was detected in survival between histological subtypes.
Conclusion: For complications, survival, and recurrence no difference was seen between young and elderly patients. Therefore, based on this study, elderly sinonasal cancer patients should not be treated differently than younger counterparts.
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