Verrucous carcinoma of the temporal bone and maxillary antrum: two unusual presentations of a rare tumor.

BACKGROUND

Verrucous carcinoma (VC) is a low-grade variant of squamous cell carcinoma. The involvement of the temporal bone and maxillary antrum is very rare.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The clinicopathologic features of 2 such tumors are reported, and the pertinent literature is reviewed.

RESULTS

In the 2 patients, the diagnostic procedure was complicated due to initial inconclusive histology. Both were treated with concomitant radiochemotherapy. They were free of disease for 5.8 and 11 years after diagnosis. An additional 15 cases of VC of the temporal bone and 10 cases of maxillary antrum tumors have been reported in the literature. In 10 patients, multiple biopsies were required, and in 7 patients, a definitive histological diagnosis was not obtained before surgery. The disease reappeared in 8 out of 15 patients treated solely with surgery. Only 2 of them were salvaged by reoperation. Radiochemotherapy only (without any surgery) was successfully used in 4 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

VC of the temporal bone or maxillary antrum is an extremely rare tumor. For reliable histological diagnosis, multiple biopsies of deep and ample tissue samples are mandatory. Surgery is a mainstay of therapy; however, radiochemotherapy also represents a viable treatment option with curative potential.