The standard treatment in the early stage of
maxillary sinus cancer is surgical resection followed by postoperative
radiation therapy. However, for locally advanced
maxillary sinus cancer, a multimodality treatment approach is strongly recommended to improve the survival rate and quality of life of the patient. We determined the treatment outcomes of
induction chemotherapy, concurrent chemoradiation
therapy, and surgical resection for locally advanced
maxillary sinus cancer. Forty-four patients with locally advanced
maxillary sinus cancer, who had been treated between January 1990 and April 2008 at Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, were retrospectively analyzed. The objective response rates were 70%, 53%, and 57% in the intra-arterial
induction chemotherapy, intravenous
induction chemotherapy, and concurrent chemoradiation
therapy groups, respectively. The orbital preservation rates were 83%, 100%, and 75% in the intra-arterial
induction chemotherapy, intravenous
induction chemotherapy, and surgical resection groups, respectively. In seven of nine patients in whom the orbit could be preserved after
induction chemotherapy, the primary
tumors were removed completely. However, although the orbits were preserved in three patients who underwent surgical resection as a primary treatment, all three cases were confirmed to be incomplete resections. We found that active
induction chemotherapy for locally advanced
cancer of the maxillary sinus increased the possibility of complete resection with orbital preservation as well as
tumor down-staging.