Treatment Options by Stage

Stage I Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Cancer
Stage II Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Cancer
Stage III Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Cancer
Stage IV Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Cancer

A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some types or stages of cancer, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.

Treatment of stage I paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer depends on where cancer is found in the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity:

• If cancer is in the maxillary sinus, treatment is usually surgery with or without radiation therapy.
• If cancer is in the ethmoid sinus, treatment is usually radiation therapy and/or surgery.
• If cancer is in the sphenoid sinus, treatment is the same as for nasopharyngeal cancer, usually radiation therapy. (See the PDQ summary on Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment for more information.)
• If cancer is in the nasal cavity, treatment is usually surgery and/or radiation therapy.
• If cancer is in the nasal vestibule, treatment is usually surgery or radiation therapy.
• For inverting papilloma, treatment is usually surgery with or without radiation therapy.
• For melanoma and sarcoma, treatment is usually surgery with or without radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
• For midline granuloma, treatment is usually radiation therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage I paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment of stage II paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer depends on where cancer is found in the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity:

• If cancer is in the maxillary sinus, treatment is usually high-dose radiation therapy before or after surgery.
• If cancer is in the ethmoid sinus, treatment is usually radiation therapy and/or surgery.
• If cancer is in the sphenoid sinus, treatment is the same as for nasopharyngeal cancer, usually radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy. (See the PDQ summary on Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment for more information.)
• If cancer is in the nasal cavity, treatment is usually surgery and/or radiation therapy.
• If cancer is in the nasal vestibule, treatment is usually surgery or radiation therapy.
• For inverting papilloma, treatment is usually surgery with or without radiation therapy.
• For melanoma and sarcoma, treatment is usually surgery with or without radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
• For midline granuloma, treatment is usually radiation therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage II paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment of stage III paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer depends on where cancer is found in the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity.

If cancer is in the maxillary sinus, treatment may include the following:

• High-dose radiation therapy before or after surgery.
• A clinical trial of fractionated radiation therapy before or after surgery.

If cancer is in the ethmoid sinus, treatment may include the following:

• Surgery followed by radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of combination chemotherapy before surgery or radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of combination chemotherapy after surgery or other cancer treatment.

If cancer is in the sphenoid sinus, treatment is the same as for nasopharyngeal cancer, usually radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy. (See the PDQ summary on Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment for more information.)

If cancer is in the nasal cavity, treatment may include the following:

• Surgery and/or radiation therapy.
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of combination chemotherapy before surgery or radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of combination chemotherapy after surgery or other cancer treatment.

For inverting papilloma, treatment is usually surgery with or without radiation therapy.

For melanoma and sarcoma, treatment may include the following:

• Surgery.
• Radiation therapy.
• Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

For midline granuloma, treatment is usually radiation therapy.

If cancer is in the nasal vestibule, treatment may include the following:

• External radiation therapy and/or internal radiation therapy with or without surgery.
• A clinical trial of combination chemotherapy before surgery or radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of combination chemotherapy after surgery or other cancer treatment.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage III paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment of stage IV paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer depends on where cancer is found in the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity.

If cancer is in the maxillary sinus, treatment may include the following:

• High-dose radiation therapy with or without surgery.
• A clinical trial of fractionated radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy before surgery or radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy after surgery or other cancer treatment.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

If cancer is in the ethmoid sinus, treatment may include the following:

• Radiation therapy before or after surgery.
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy before surgery or radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy after surgery or other cancer treatment.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

If cancer is in the sphenoid sinus, treatment is the same as for nasopharyngeal cancer, usually radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy. (See the PDQ summary on Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment for more information.)

If cancer is in the nasal cavity, treatment may include the following:

• Surgery and/or radiation therapy.
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy before surgery or radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy after surgery or other cancer treatment.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

For inverting papilloma, treatment is usually surgery with or without radiation therapy.

For melanoma and sarcoma, treatment may include the following:

• Surgery.
• Radiation therapy.
• Chemotherapy.

For midline granuloma, treatment is usually radiation therapy.

If cancer is in the nasal vestibule, treatment may include the following:

• External radiation therapy and/or internal radiation therapy with or without surgery.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy before surgery or radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy after surgery or other cancer treatment.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage IV paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.