Skip to main content
Log in

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the External Auditory Canal and Temporal Bone: An Update

  • Special Issue: Ear
  • Published:
Head and Neck Pathology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common primary malignancy to affect the temporal bone, including primary cutaneous SCC of the pinna, external auditory canal, middle and inner ear. This anatomically complex region generates complicated three-dimensional specimens that can be a challenge for macroscopic and microscopic pathologic assessment. A universally accepted staging classification for these malignancies is still to be established. A brief summary of the regional anatomy, etiology and epidemiology, presentation and diagnosis, radiologic assessment and treatment follows with a review of the pathologic assessment of the different types of specimens generated and an update on staging for SCC of the temporal bone.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Stell P, McCormick M. Carcinoma of the external auditory meatus and middle ear; prognostic factors and a suggested staging system. J Laryngol Otol. 1985;99:847–50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. The International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting. http://www.iccr-cancer.org.

  3. Snell R. Clinical anatomy by regions. 9th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Ahn J, Park HJ, Park G, Jeong Y, Kwak H. Tympanometry and CT measurement of middle ear volumes in patients with unilateral chronic otitis media. Clin Exp Otolrhinolaryngol. 2008;1:139–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Thompson L. Update from the 4th Edition of the World Health Organization classification of head and neck tumours: tumours of the ear. Head Neck Pathol. 2017;11:78–87.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Ouaz K, Robier A, Lescanne E, Bobillier C, Morinière S, Bakhos D. Cancer of the external auditory canal. Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis. 2013;130:175–82.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Mcmonagle BA, Turner J, Zhong C, Luo Q, Fagan P. Squamous cell carcinoma of the internal auditory canal. Otol Neurotol. 2006;27:903–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Michaels L, Wells M. Squamous cell carcinoma of the middle ear. Clin Otolaryngol. 1980;5:235–48.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ussmüller J, Sanchez-Hanke M. Histopathological studies of intratemporal growth behavior of middle ear carcinoma. Laryngorhinootologie. 2000;79:21–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Hiraide F, Inouye T, Ishii Y. Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the middle ear invading the cochlea. A histopathological case report. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1983;92:290–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Moffat DA, Wagstaff SA, Hardy DG. The Outcome of radical surgery and postoperative radiotherapy for squamous carcinoma of the temporal bone. Laryngoscope. 2005;115:341–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Luiz P, Rinaldo A, Ferlito A, Sua C. Nodal disease in temporal bone squamous carcinoma. Acta Otolaryngol. 2005;125:5–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Tsai ST, Ching LI, In YJ, Hao WC. High prevalence of human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 in middle ear carcinomas. Int J Cancer. 1997;71:208–12.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lo W, Ting L, Ko J, Lou P, Yang T. Malignancies of the ear in irradiated patients of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Laryngoscope. 2008;118:2151–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Shu M, Lin H, Lee J, Chen B. Induced squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal. Otol Neurotol. 2011;32:24–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Breau RL, Gardner EK, Dornhoffer JL. Cancer of the external auditory canal and temporal bone. Curr Oncol Rep. 2002;4:76–80.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Golding-Wood D, Quiney R, Cheesman A. Carcinoma of the ear: retrospective analysis of 61 patients. J Laryngol Otol. 1989;103:653–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhang T, Dai C, Wang Z. The misdiagnosis of external auditory canal carcinoma. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2013;270:1607–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. El-Naggar A, Chan J, Grandis J, Takata T, Slootweg P, editors. WHO classification of head and neck tumours. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2017. pp. 263–4.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Fletcher C. Diagnostic histopathology of tumours. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders; 2013. pp. 2127–8.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Michaels L, Liang J. Structure and origin of middle ear corpuscles. Clin Otolaryngol. 1993;18:257–62.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Mazzoni A, Danesi G, Zanoletti E. Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal: surgical treatment and long-term outcomes. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2014;34:129–37.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Wang Z, Zheng M, Xia S. The contribution of CT and MRI in staging, treatment planning and prognosis prediction of malignant tumors of external auditory canal. J Clin Imaging. 2016;40:1262–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Chao Y-K, Kawada K, Kumagai Y, Takubo K, Wang HH. On endocytoscopy and posttherapy pathologic staging in esophageal cancers, and on evidence-based methodology. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2014;1325:1–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Gillespie M, Francis H, Chee N, Eisele D. Squamous cell carcinoma of the temporal bone: a radiographic-pathologic correlation. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2001;127:803–7.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Ong CK, Pua U, Chong VFH. Imaging of carcinoma of the external auditory canal: a pictorial essay. Cancer Imaging. 2008;8:191–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Arriaga M, Curtin H, Takahashi H, Hirsh B, Kamerer D. Staging proposal for external auditory meatus carcinoma based on preoperative clinical examination and computed tomography findings. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1990;99:714–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Moody SA, Hirsch BE, Myers EN. Squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal: an evaluation of a staging system. Am J Otol. 2000;582–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Califano J, Lydiatt W, Nehal K, O’Sullivan B, Schmults C, Seethala R, et al. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. In: Amin M, Edge S, Greene F, Byrd D, Brookland R, Washington M et al, editors. AJCC cancer staging manual. 8th ed. Berlin: Springer; 2017. pp. 171–81.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  30. Higgins TS, Antonio SAM. The role of facial palsy in staging squamous cell carcinoma of the temporal bone and external auditory canal: a comparative survival analysis. Otol Neurotol. 2010;31:1473–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Zanoletti E, Danesi G. The problem of nodal disease in squamous cell carcinoma of the temporal bone. Acta Otolaryngol. 2010;130:913–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Brant J, Eliades S, Chen J, Newman J, Ruckenstein M. Carcinoma of the middle ear: a review of the National Cancer Database. Otol Neurotol. 2017;38:1153–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ruta Gupta.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Benjamin M. Allanson, Tsu-Hui (Hubert) Low, Jonathan R Clark, Ruta Gupta declares that they have no conflict of interest.

Research Involving Animal and Human Participants

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Allanson, B.M., Low, TH., Clark, J.R. et al. Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the External Auditory Canal and Temporal Bone: An Update. Head and Neck Pathol 12, 407–418 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-018-0908-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-018-0908-4

Keywords

Navigation