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Metastatic Lesions to the Temporal Bone

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Temporal Bone Cancer

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Abstract

Metastatic lesions to the temporal bone are relatively rare in clinical practice, but the temporal bone is often involved by metastatic disease in autopsy studies. The most common site for metastatic involvement is the petrous portion of the temporal bone. Breast, lung, prostate, melanoma, kidney, and stomach cancers are the most likely primary tumors to produce temporal bone metastases. Hearing loss, otorrhea, vertigo, and facial paralysis are the most common symptoms of temporal bone metastasis; however, a large proportion of metastatic lesions to the temporal bone are asymptomatic. In the patient with a history of malignant disease, the differential diagnosis should include metastasis when patients present with otologic complaints. Diagnostic imaging with CT and MRI, especially when combined with PET/CT or whole-body bone scan, usually leads to the diagnosis. Surgical resection of metastatic disease in the temporal bone is typically not warranted because temporal bone metastases are usually a sign of widespread metastatic disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Paul W. Gidley M.D., F.A.C.S. & Marc-Elie Nader M.D., M.Sc.

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  1. Paul W. Gidley M.D., F.A.C.S.
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  2. Marc-Elie Nader M.D., M.Sc.
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Correspondence to Paul W. Gidley M.D., F.A.C.S. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Otology-Neurotology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA

    Paul W. Gidley

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA

    Franco DeMonte

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Gidley, P.W., Nader, ME. (2018). Metastatic Lesions to the Temporal Bone. In: Gidley, P., DeMonte, F. (eds) Temporal Bone Cancer. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74539-8_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74539-8_15

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