Outcomes of sinonasal mucosal melanomas with endoscopic and open resection: a retrospective cohort study

Purpose To compare the outcomes of Sinonasal Mucosal Melanomas (SNMM) treated with endoscopic and open resection. Methods A retrospective case review of 20 patients with SNMM treated surgically at UCSF. Kaplan–Meier analyses were calculated to determine outcome differences in endoscopic vs. open resections. Results From 2005 to 2014, 20 cases of SNMM were confirmed and treated at UCSF. All cases underwent surgical resection, with 10 cases by open resection and 10 cases by endoscopic resection. Using Kaplan–Meier analyses, the open resection group had a 1-year survival of 30% whereas endoscopic resection group was 80% (p = 0.032). Endoscopic resection showed improved survival at all time points after surgery compared to open resection. Conclusion SNMM is a rare and aggressive tumor that is associated with low survival rates. In this small case series, endoscopic resection had improved survival outcomes compared to open resection.