Ewing sarcoma of the head and neck: The Mayo Clinic experience

Head Neck. 2018 Sep;40(9):1999-2006. doi: 10.1002/hed.25191. Epub 2018 May 13.

Abstract

Background: Treatment options of Ewing sarcoma of the head and neck include surgery, radiotherapy (RT), and chemoradiotherapy. However, local control can be challenging.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all patients with head and neck Ewing sarcoma treated from 1972 to 2015 at a single tertiary care hospital.

Results: Seventeen patients met criteria (median 21 years, range 5-58 years; 5 women). Mean follow-up was 10.4 years (range 2.2-39 years). Tumors occurred commonly in the cervical spine (5/17), the skull (3/17), and the paranasal sinuses (3/17). A total of 14 of 17 patients underwent surgical resection, 9 with gross total resection. After multimodality therapy, the 5-year overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 87% and 75%, respectively.

Conclusion: Combined multimodal treatment resulted in a 5-year OS and RFS of 87% and 75%, respectively. Aggressive surgical resection with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy should be considered. Although negative margin surgery is the goal, subtotal resection may be acceptable in the setting of adjuvant treatment.

Keywords: Ewing sarcoma; cancer; head and neck; outcome; survival.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Female
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / mortality
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / diagnosis*
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / mortality
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / therapy*
  • Skull Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Skull Neoplasms / mortality
  • Skull Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Survival Rate
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult