Radiotherapy for malignant tumor of the ear

Fifteen patients with malignant tumor of the ear were treated with radiotherapy between January 1966 and May 1993. The age ranged from 3 to 81 years with a mean age of 52, and male to female ratio was 10 to 5. Tumor sites were the external auditory canal in 12 cases and middle ear in 3 cases. There were 4 cases in T1, 8 in T2, and 3 in T3 by Stell's stage classification, and there were 13 in N0, 1 in N1 and 1 in N2, which were all M0. There were 10 squamous cell carcinomas, 3 adenoid cystic carcinomas. 1 liposarcoma and 1 rhabdomyosarcoma. Radiotherapy was administered to 12 cases postoperatively, to 3 cases definitively with a total dose of 48 Gy to 66 Gy in adult cases. The follow-up period ranged from 11 months to 15 years and 3 months (mean 8 years). The overall local control rate and the overall cumulative 5-year rate and the cause specific 5-year survival rate were 73%, 46.9% and 62.5%, respectively. Four cases died of primary ear malignancy and 2 of intercurrent disease. No severe side effect or complication has been observed. Radiotherapy combined with surgery is a promising modality for treatment of ear malignancy. (author)