A New Risk Score Assessment for Neck Management in T1-T2N0 Sinonasal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients: A European Head and Neck Cancer Center Survey Study and Evaluation of 58 Patients with Early Stage Sinonasal Carcinoma

Purpose The purpose of the present study was to assess whether European head and neck cancer centers perform elective neck dissection (END) in early stage sinonasal squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and whether END affects oncological outcome. Methods A questionnaire regarding performance of END in T1 - T2 sinonasal SCCs was sent to 38 head and neck cancer centers in Europe. The results were further correlated and compared with clinical data of 58 patients with T1 (n = 37) and T2 (n = 21) sinonasal SCCs, a risk score and a nomogram were generated. Results Only 5–10 % of respondents are performing END in T1 and 26–32% in T2 sinonasal SCCs. In our cohort regional recurrence was evident in 10 (17.2%) patients, representing a significant worse prognostic factor for cancer specific survival (HR 8.13; p = 0.016). Particularly, regional recurrence was more frequent in T2 tumors and in patients where the primary tumor originated from nasal septum and vestibule. Based on our clinical and questionnaire data a new risk-score was determined to predict necessity for END. The risk-score, including T-classification and tumor site, assigned T1-classification with 0 points, followed by 1 point for T2; tumor site: nasal septum or vestibule with 1 point and tumors from other subsites with 0 points. Based on these factors we further created a nomogram for predicting the risk of regional recurrence. Patients with a high-risk score showed 9.52-fold higher risk for regional and or distant recurrence (HR 9.52; p = 0.002;) and their 5-year CSS was 44.4% compared to 92.8% in patients with moderate or low risk (p = 0.017). Conclusions Our proposed risk-score system in T1-2N0 sinonasal carcinoma is helpful to identify patients who may benefit from END. Although to date END has no value in European head and neck cancer centers for T1-T2 sinonasal SCCs, our study indicates that the neck management in these patients should be reconsidered.