Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Cancer

Paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer is a type of head and neck cancer. It usually occurs as a squamous cell carcinoma in the thin, flat cells that line the inside of the sinuses and nose. Other types of cancer that occur in this part of the body include melanoma, sarcoma, and midline granulomas.

Risk factors for paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer include smoking and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection as well as exposure to certain chemicals or dust during furniture making, sawmill work, woodworking, shoemaking, and flour mill or bakery work. The majority of cases are diagnosed in males over the age of 40.

Head and neck cancer includes cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), paranasal sinuses, nasal cavity, and salivary glands. About 72,680 cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, or larynx, the major types of head and neck cancer, were estimated to be diagnosed in the United States in 2025, with about 16,680 deaths estimated, according to the National Cancer Institute. In the case of paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer, the majority of these tumors are discovered at advanced stages when cure rates are generally poor.

Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Cancer Treatment (Adult) (PDQ®)

Source: National Cancer Institute