Survival after surgical treatment in maxillary neoplasms of epithelial origin.

During 1968-1979, 55 cases of epithelial neoplasms originating from the maxillary antrum were diagnosed and treated within the referral area of 1.5 million inhabitants. A majority of the patients were operated upon after pre-operative irradiation therapy (40-50 Gy). No significant difference in survival rate was found between patients operated on by total maxillectomy, including orbital exenteration, and patients subjected to partial maxillectomy. Patients with tumours not completely removed during primary surgery and patients with glandular involvement had a poor prognosis despite additional surgery and radiotherapy. The prognosis for the remaining patients was considerably better, with a 5-year survival rate of 60 per cent.