ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Tumors involving the temporal bone are rare but present with symptoms similar to inflammatory ear disease. A high index of suspicion is required for the early diagnosis of malignant tumors. Pain, bleeding from the ear canal, and facial palsy may herald the onset of malignancy. Local extension of tumor to structures surrounding the temporal bone occurs early and often silently, and as a result, most tumors present at a relatively advanced stage. The prognosis of treated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the temporal bone is determined primarily by the extent of local disease at diagnosis. Combined treatment of tumors limited to the external auditory canal (EAC) can result in a moderate five-year survival, but advanced cancer has a very poor prognosis.
