If you suspect you might have cancer near the ear, your health care provider will likely conduct blood tests, as well as perform a biopsy. A biopsy is a sample of the tissue, and a pathologist will examine it with a microscope to confirm its diagnosis. If the cancer is located in a difficult place, such as the middle ear, a scan is performed to determine its exact location and size. If there is no evidence of cancer near the ear, your health care provider may also order a CT or MRI scan to determine its severity. In addition to the biopsy, the health care provider will perform a diagnostic test called a PET-CT scan to determine whether it has spread to other areas of the body.
Treatment for cancer near the ear and the temporal bone depends on the size of the tumor. Small tumors located on the outer part of the ear may be removed surgically. A part of the ear may be reconstructed if the cancer does not spread to other parts of the body. Other types of tumors may require removal of ear structures and lymph nodes nearby. In rare cases, the entire temporal bone may have to be removed.
Most cancer near the ear begins as a white bump or scaly area on the outside of the ear. Eventually, it can become painful and spread. It is also possible for cancer to spread to the temporal bone, the area of the skull above the ear. If left untreated, these tumors may grow into the bone, compromising the hearing of the affected individual. If not detected and treated properly, the cancer may spread throughout the body.
While adenocarcinoma is more likely to affect the parotid glands, it can also spread to the ear. The cancer can spread to the ear through the lymph nodes within the parotid glands. In this case, bleeding is often present. In addition, cancer in the ear may spread to the parotid glands, which is also a possible cause of cancer near the ear.
Certain types of cancer near the ear are more common in older people. For example, squamous cell cancer of the temporal bone is most common among people in their seventh decade of life. If you suspect that you might have cancer near the ear, your doctor will most likely remove the growth and send it for laboratory testing. A biopsy will be performed under local or general anesthesia, depending on the type of cancer. The cancer is treated with surgery or radiotherapy, depending on the location, stage, and type of cancer.
Treatment options for cancer near the ear include surgery to remove the affected area. The doctor will often remove the tumor in the pinna, the external portion of the ear. Sometimes, this surgery requires reconstructing the ear or a portion of it, called a pinna. The new pinna is usually very realistic and looks like the original. On the other hand, if the tumor has spread to the middle ear, surgery may be necessary to remove it completely. Although there is a significant risk of losing hearing after the surgery, some people may be able to hear again after treatment.
