Ear Cancer

Steven H. Lin and Vincent J. Lee

 Background

What structures constitute the outer and inner components of the ear?

1. 
   

   Outer ear: pinna (auricle), external auditory canal, tympanic membrane, and middle ear

   
   
2. 
   

   Inner ear: temporal bone (mastoid bone of bony and membranous labyrinth)

What is the lymphatic drainage of the ear?

The ear drains to the parotid, retroauricular, and cervical nodes.

What are the most common cancer histologies of the outer vs. the inner ear?

1. 
   

   Pinna: basal cell carcinoma

   
   
2. 
   

   Rest (canal, middle ear, mastoid): squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (85%)

What % of pts with ear cancer present with nodal mets?

<15% of pts present with nodal mets.

 Workup/Staging

What is the general workup for tumors of the ear?

Tumor of the inner ear workup: H&P, otoscopy, LN exam, CT/MRI, tissue Bx, and audiometry

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