Middle Ear Carcinoma Masquerading as an Aural Polyp

Authors

  • Doh Jeing Yong Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Abd Majid Md Nasir Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Bee See Goh Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32412/pjohns.v27i2.523

Keywords:

Middle ear carcinoma; aural polyp; temporal bone carcinoma

Abstract

Objective: To present a case of middle ear carcinoma masquerading as an aural polyp and describe our experience with the clinical presentation, management and outcome of an elderly patient with this pathology.

Methods:

Design: Case Report

Setting: Tertiary Public Hospital

Patients: One

Result: A 63-year-old female presented with an aural polyp and preceding symptoms of inner ear disturbances followed by otorrhea and otalgia. CT scans revealed an erosive lesion occupying the entire middle ear cleft, external ear canal and mastoid cavity with involvement of inner structures. A repeat biopsy subsequently revealed malignancy leading to a diagnosis of middle ear carcinoma. The patient was offered surgical treatment but opted for radiotherapy and subsequently defaulted follow-up.

Conclusion: Middle ear carcinoma is rare and can masquerade as a benign aural polyp. Symptoms of severe otalgia and inner ear disturbances are indicators of possible malignancy, as are recent-onset symptoms of otitis media developing over a relatively short course later in life. A high index of suspicion is needed to avoid late diagnosis. Repeat deeper aural tissue biopsy is needed to exclude malignancy. Computed tomography imaging is indispensable in delineating tumor extent and aids in tumor staging as well as prognostication. Surgical resection with clear tumor margins, followed by postoperative radiotherapy, is the preferred choice of treatment. Sole radiotherapy is reserved for tumors of small volume as well as in cases where surgery is not feasible.

Keywords: Middle ear carcinoma; aural polyp; temporal bone carcinoma

 

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Published

2012-12-03

How to Cite

1.
Yong DJ, Nasir AMM, Goh BS. Middle Ear Carcinoma Masquerading as an Aural Polyp. Philipp J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg [Internet]. 2012 Dec. 3 [cited 2024 Apr. 24];27(2):17-9. Available from: https://pjohns.pso-hns.org/index.php/pjohns/article/view/523

Issue

Vol. 27 No. 2 (2012): Philippine Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Section

Case Reports

License

Copyright transfer (all authors; where the work is not protected by a copyright act e.g. US federal employment at the time of manuscript preparation, and there is no copyright of which ownership can be transferred, a separate statement is hereby submitted by each concerned author). In consideration of the action taken by the Philippine Journal of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery in reviewing and editing this manuscript, I hereby assign, transfer and convey all rights, title and interest in the work, including copyright ownership, to the Philippine Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Inc. (PSOHNS) in the event that this work is published by the PSOHNS. In making this assignment of ownership, I understand that all accepted manuscripts become the permanent property of the PSOHNS and may not be published elsewhere without written permission from the PSOHNS unless shared under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license.