Sinus Cancer Specialist in Ahmedabad

What is sinus cancer?

Sinus cancer, more precisely sinonasal cancer, is a malignant tumour of the nasal cavity or the paranasal sinuses, the air spaces in the bones of the face and skull that warm and humidify the air we breathe. Together these form a single connected system, and tumours frequently involve more than one part of it. The most common origins are the maxillary sinus in the cheek and the nasal cavity itself; the ethmoid sinuses between the eyes come next, and the frontal and sphenoid sinuses are rarely the primary site. Our paranasal cancer page describes each sinus in more detail.

Unlike most head and neck cancers, sinonasal cancer is not one disease but a family. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common, but adenocarcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, olfactory neuroblastoma, sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma, mucosal melanoma, sarcomas and lymphomas all occur here. Some are best treated with surgery first, others with chemotherapy or radiotherapy first, so an accurate biopsy diagnosis is essential before any treatment begins.

How sinus cancer differs from sinusitis

Symptoms that should prompt endoscopic examination include one-sided nasal blockage, bloody discharge or nosebleeds, loss of smell, facial pain or pressure, cheek or palate numbness, loose upper teeth, swelling of the cheek, and watering, bulging or double vision of one eye. A lump in the neck is a late sign.

Risk factors

• Occupational exposure to wood dust, leather dust, nickel, chromium, formaldehyde and textile fibres
• Tobacco smoking, particularly for squamous cell carcinoma
• HPV infection, in a subset of cases
• Inverted papilloma, a benign nasal tumour that can transform into cancer if not completely removed
• Previous radiotherapy to the face or head
• Male sex and age over 50

Diagnosis at HCG Aastha Cancer Centre

1. 01

   Endoscopic examination and biopsy

   Dr. Patel examines the nasal cavity with a rigid endoscope in the clinic and biopsies any mass, usually under local anaesthesia. Very vascular tumours are biopsied in the operating room.

2. 02

   CT and MRI

   CT shows the bony walls of the sinuses, orbit and skull base; MRI shows soft tissue, separates tumour from trapped mucus and reveals spread into the orbit, dura, brain or along nerves. Both are needed for planning.

3. 03

   Pathology review

   Because so many tumour types occur here, the biopsy is examined with special stains and, where useful, molecular tests to establish the exact diagnosis. See genetic insights in sinus cancer.

4. 04

   Staging and tumour board

   A chest CT or PET-CT checks for spread, and the case is discussed with neurosurgery, ophthalmology, radiation oncology and medical oncology before a plan is recommended.

Sinus cancer treatment in Ahmedabad

Surgery followed by radiotherapy is the standard for most sinonasal cancers, and Dr. Parin Patel's aim is complete removal with the smallest possible impact on the eye, face and brain. The approach is chosen by the extent of the tumour.

Minimally invasive endoscopic surgery

Tumours of the nasal cavity, ethmoid sinuses and medial maxilla, including those reaching the anterior skull base, can be removed entirely through the nostrils with endoscopic instruments and image-guided navigation. The skull base is reconstructed with a vascularised nasoseptal flap. There is no facial incision, and recovery is measured in days rather than weeks. The technique is described on our endoscopic skull base surgery page and in the latest minimally invasive sinus cancer surgery options in Ahmedabad.

Open and combined surgery

Cancers that involve the cheek bone, palate, orbit, skin or extensively the brain need an open or combined approach: maxillectomy through a discreet incision beside the nose, or craniofacial resection with neurosurgery, as detailed on our skull base surgery page. Endoscopic assistance is used even in these cases to minimise the size of incisions and to check the margins.

Reconstruction

The palate, orbital floor, facial contour and the barrier between nose and brain are reconstructed in the same operation using local flaps, free flaps or a dental obturator, so that patients can eat, speak and look normal. Details are on our reconstructive surgery and craniofacial surgery pages.

Radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy

Radiotherapy after surgery is recommended for the majority of sinonasal cancers. Chemotherapy is given first to shrink very advanced tumours or as the primary treatment for chemosensitive types, and immunotherapy or targeted drugs are used for selected recurrent or metastatic disease. All are available at HCG Aastha Cancer Centre.

Why Dr. Parin Patel

• Trained in endoscopic and open sinonasal cancer surgery during a Skull Base Surgery Fellowship at Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
• Fellowship-trained Head and Neck Surgical Oncologist with more than thirteen years' experience, so tumours are removed with proper margins
• Multidisciplinary sinonasal tumour board and full reconstruction, radiotherapy and chemotherapy services on one campus
• Eye- and face-preserving planning as a stated priority
• Long-term endoscopic surveillance to detect any recurrence early

Learn more on the about page.

Recovery and follow-up

After endoscopic surgery, the hospital stay is three to five days, nasal crusting is managed with saline rinses and clinic clean-outs for several weeks, and most patients return to work within two to three weeks. After open surgery, the stay is about a week to ten days and full recovery takes six to eight weeks, with swelling and numbness of the cheek improving gradually. Radiotherapy usually starts within six weeks of surgery. Follow-up combines nasal endoscopy and MRI at regular intervals for at least five years, and our rehabilitation team helps with any effects on smell, taste, speech, swallowing or eye comfort.

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