Carcinoma of the nasal vestibule.

Squamous cell carcinomas of the nasal vestibule are essentially skin cancers that require special therapeutic considerations because of the regional anatomy. They have sometimes been considered poorly suited for treatment by irradiation because of potential or actual cartilage and/or bone invasion and therefore have been treated by surgical resection, sometimes producing defects that are difficult to reconstruct satisfactorily. From 1966 to April 1980, 13 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal vestibule were treated with radiotherapy at the University of Florida. Eight lesions were de novo; 5 were recurrent after 1 or more surgical procedures. Treatment consisted of radium needle implantation and/or external beam therapy. Neck management was individualized. All de novo and 4 of 5 recurrent lesions were controlled locally. Cosmetic results were good in patients with de novo lesions. There were no instances of significant cartilage or soft tissue necrosis despite cartilage involvement by tumor in 6 cases.