Ear cancer is one of the rarest and yet most complex types of head and neck cancer that may occur in any part of the ear structure, from the earlobe to the external auditory canal, the middle ear and even the delicate bones around the ear.. compared to other cancers and due to the similarity of its initial symptoms... with common ear diseases, it is often diagnosed late.... In this article from GCORP health magazine LLC you can get to know the symptoms as well as methods of diagnosis and treatment of this cancer.

What is ear cancer?

Ear cancer is a rare but serious disease and occurs when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably in the ear area and damage the surrounding tissues.... This disease can affect different parts of the ear such as the outer ear, ear canal, temporal bones and even the middle or inner ear..

In most cases, this cancer starts from the skin of the external ear canal and spreads to other parts... People with a history of long-term exposure to ultraviolet rays or chronic ear infections are more susceptible to this disease.

Learn more: Frontal sinus

Types of ear cancer

There are different types of ear cancer, each of which has distinct characteristics.... In the rest of this section, the types of this cancer are mentioned.

1- Squamous cell cancer

Squamous cell cancer is one of the most common types of cancer that usually occurs in the skin of the external ear. This cancer may penetrate into deeper tissues and reach the temporal bone.

2- Adenocarcinoma cancer

One of the rarest types of cancer is adenocarcinoma, which mostly occurs in the sebaceous glands or sweat glands of the ear. This type of cancer grows slowly, but eventually it can spread to deeper structures.

3- Malignant melanoma

This type of cancer originates from cells that produce skin pigment. Melanoma cancer is seen in areas outside the ear that are more exposed to sunlight and may metastasize to other organs.

4- Glomus tumor

This type of tumor, which is sometimes benign and sometimes malignant, originates from the nerve cells around the inner ear. Glomus tumor can affect hearing and in advanced cases can also put pressure on the nerves of the skull.

5- Acoustic neuroma

Acoustic neuroma is usually benign, but due to its location near the brain and important nerves, it can cause significant complications.

6- Neuroendocrine tumor

Glandular nerve tumor is one of the rarest types of cancer in the ear region, which has a neuro-glandular origin... Although the prevalence of this tumor in the ear is low, it can be associated with symptoms such as chronic pain, hearing loss or a palpable mass in the ear area... Accurate diagnosis of this type of tumor requires imaging studies and specialized sampling.

What is the cause of ear cancer?

The exact cause of this cancer is not known precisely, but several factors are known as the main drivers of this cancer... In the rest of this section, the most important reasons for the occurrence of this cancer are mentioned.

• Prolonged exposure to sunlight without proper protection, especially in the earlobe areas
• Chronic middle or external ear infections
• Repeated contact with carcinogenic chemicals
• Family history of skin or head and neck cancer
A weakened immune system, especially in transplant or HIV patients
• Some genetic disorders or hearing abnormalities such as auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder

What is earlobe cancer?

Due to direct exposure to sunlight, the earlobe is one of the areas prone to skin cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Symptoms of external ear cancer usually begin with symptoms such as non-healing sores, bleeding, abnormal discharge, and changes in the shape of the earlobe or in the ear canal, but if the ear canal is initially damaged or may have similar symptoms...severe, they will need a specialist investigation.

Learn more: Ear cyst

The key to controlling this disease is timely diagnosis with biopsy and surgical treatment.... The earlobe has many blood vessels and therefore the disease spreads rapidly in this area.

Learn more: Ear exostosis

What are the symptoms of ear cancer?

Symptoms of this cancer are different depending on the location of its involvement.... Some of these symptoms may be similar to the early symptoms of ear infection or Meniere's disease, and this makes the diagnosis more difficult.... If you do not know what Meniere's disease is, you can click on the link of this article...

In many cases, severe earache can be the first sign of inflammation or even a mass in the ear canal... Although not all pains are signs of cancer, timely diagnosis and treatment of these symptoms is very important.... In the rest of this section, the most important symptoms of this disease are mentioned.

• Chronic ulcer or continuous discharge from the ear that does not respond to usual treatments
• Sudden or gradual hearing loss in one ear
• Ear pain in deeper areas
• mass or bump behind or inside the ear
• Feeling of heaviness or constant congestion in the ear
• Continuous bloody or purulent discharge from the ear
• Severe local headaches
• Paralysis or weakness of facial muscles (in cases where the facial nerve is involved)

Treatment of ear cancer

The treatment of this disease varies depending on the type, size, and location of the tumor, and sometimes the doctor uses one or more methods for treatment at the same time... In the rest of this section, the main methods of treating this cancer are mentioned.

Learn more: Human hearing range

Surgery

In most cases, surgery is the first option to treat this cancer. The goal of this surgery is to completely remove the tumor along with part of the healthy tissue around it. In advanced cases, it may be necessary to remove parts of the temporal bone or even the mastoid (a part of the temporal bone behind the ear).

Learn more: Cerebrospinal fluid leakage (CFS)

Radiotherapy

In cases where surgery is not possible or the patient does not recover after surgery, radiation therapy is used to destroy the remaining cells.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is one of the common methods to destroy tumors that have metastasized or do not respond to other methods... This method is usually performed together with radiation therapy.

Targeted treatment

In some advanced cancers, biological or targeted therapies that target specific cancer cells are used for treatment.

Supportive care

In some patients, the cancer is so advanced that no treatment will be effective.... In this situation, the doctor uses different methods to reduce pain and improve symptoms.

Ear cancer diagnosis methods

A combination of clinical and paraclinical methods is used for accurate diagnosis of this disease.. Sometimes, seeing images of ear cancer helps the doctor to recognize the symptoms of the disease faster and use a more suitable treatment for the patient. In the rest of this section, the most important methods of diagnosing this disease are mentioned.

• Physical examination and complete ear examination with otoscope or microscope
• Hearing test to check hearing loss and hearing loss
• Imaging with a CT scan or MRI to evaluate spread to the bone or brain
• Biopsy of suspicious tissue to confirm the type of cancer
• Blood test to check the patient's general condition
• Checking and cleaning the Eustachian tube

Is ear cancer fatal?

The answer to this question depends on the type, stage of diagnosis and location of the cancer.... If the cancer is detected early and is limited to a certain area, it is likely to be easily treated.... In advanced cases where the cancer has spread to nearby structures such as the brain, nerves or lymph nodes, the treatment is less likely.... In cases of malignant ear cancer, it may lead to cancer or advanced cancer can lead to death... Complications such as ear stroke... To make a perfect handshake can be heard.

Does ear cancer hurt?

In many cases, this cancer is accompanied by pain.... The pain may be chronic, localized, or shooting, and is usually felt on one side of the head.... In deep cancers, the pain may radiate to the jaw, neck, or back of the head.

Final speech

Ear cancer is a serious and sometimes fatal disease that must be treated on time.... Accurately knowing the symptoms, knowing its types and seeing a doctor on time will help a lot in the treatment of this disease.... If you have any questions about the immediate symptoms of cancer and its treatment methods, you can visit consult with the best GCORP and LLC specialist.. Doctors, including otolaryngologist, online.... they do. Also, GCORP LLC has made it possible for you to make an appointment with the specialist of your choice for a face-to-face visit with an otolaryngologist through the online appointment system.

Frequently Asked Questions