Squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses

Disease definition

A rare head and neck tumor characterized by a malignant epithelial neoplasm most commonly arising in the maxillary sinus or nasal cavity, occurring as a keratinizing, a non-keratinizing, or a spindle cell (sarcomatoid) type. Patients may present with nasal obstruction, epistaxis, rhinorrhea, swelling, or (at more advances stages) with facial pain and/or paralysis, diplopia, and proptosis. Patients with paranasal sinus tumors present later and at a higher stage than patients with nasal cavity carcinomas. Risk factors are smoking and industrial exposures. High-risk HPV is most frequently associated with the non-keratinizing type.