Treatment and survival outcomes of ceruminous carcinomas of the external auditory canal: a SEER database analysis and literature review

Ceruminous carcinomas of the external auditory canal (EAC), encompassing adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), ceruminous adenocarcinoma (CA), and mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), are extremely rare with little known regarding the influence of demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment on survival. This study aimed to summarize existent data and describe prognostic factors affecting survival in ceruminous carcinoma. Cases of ceruminous carcinoma of the EAC in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were analyzed to provide demographic, cancer-related, and treatment data and assess their influence on disease-specific and overall survival. A literature review was also performed. No significant difference in overall survival (OS) existed for localized versus regional disease, tumor type, or use of radiation therapy. In those with ACC, distant disease had a lower OS compared to regional disease. On review of the literature, local recurrence was a common finding with a low risk for nodal metastasis in ACC and CA. In conclusion, local recurrence was common despite aggressive surgical intervention (± radiation therapy); overall survival was unaffected by radiation therapy, tumor type, or local versus regional disease; and more cases of MEC are needed for analysis.