Condition Lookup
Category:
Tumors and Growths of the Ear
Number of Conditions: 6
Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma)
Specialty: Ear
Category: Tumors and Growths of the Ear
Sub-category: Benign Tumors
Symptoms:
gradual hearing loss in one ear; ringing in the ear (tinnitus); dizziness or imbalance; facial numbness or weakness in severe cases
Root Cause:
A slow-growing, benign tumor arising from the Schwann cells of the vestibular nerve, often compressing adjacent nerves and structures.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
MRI with contrast to detect the tumor; audiometry to assess hearing loss; and occasionally CT scans.
Treatment:
Observation for small, asymptomatic tumors; surgical removal (microsurgery); stereotactic radiosurgery (e.g., Gamma Knife).
Medications:
Medications are not typically used to treat the tumor itself. However, corticosteroids (e.g., dexamethasone ) may be prescribed to manage inflammation after surgery or radiation.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Occurs in approximately 1 in 100,000 people annually; represents about 8% of all intracranial tumors.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Neurofibromatosis type 2, exposure to prolonged loud noise, and family history of the condition.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Generally favorable for life expectancy, but complete tumor removal can risk nerve damage. Hearing loss may persist.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Permanent hearing loss, facial nerve damage, balance issues, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, or rare malignant transformation.
Exostoses (Surfer’s Ear)
Specialty: Ear
Category: Tumors and Growths of the Ear
Sub-category: Bone Growths
Symptoms:
progressive hearing loss; frequent ear infections; water trapped in the ear; ear pain in severe cases
Root Cause:
Benign, bony outgrowths in the external auditory canal caused by repeated exposure to cold water and wind.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Otoscopic examination and CT scan to visualize the extent of bony growths.
Treatment:
Surgical removal of the bony growths (canalplasty) for symptomatic cases; ear plugs or hoods for prevention in cold-water environments.
Medications:
No direct medications for treatment; antibiotics may be prescribed for secondary infections caused by water trapping.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common in surfers and cold-water swimmers; prevalence varies by region but is higher in coastal areas.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Frequent exposure to cold water and wind, water sports participation, and inadequate ear protection.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent with surgical treatment; recurrence can be prevented with appropriate precautions.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Recurrent infections, complete ear canal obstruction, and conductive hearing loss.
Glomus Tumors (Paragangliomas)
Specialty: Ear
Category: Tumors and Growths of the Ear
Sub-category: Vascular Tumors
Symptoms:
pulsatile tinnitus; hearing loss; dizziness; ear fullness; cranial nerve deficits in advanced cases
Root Cause:
Rare, usually benign vascular tumors arising from paraganglionic tissue in the middle ear or along cranial nerves.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
MRI and/or CT imaging; angiography may be used for vascular mapping; biopsy if needed.
Treatment:
Surgical excision; radiation therapy for inoperable or residual tumors.
Medications:
Medications are not typically used to treat glomus tumors. Pre-surgical embolization agents may be used to minimize bleeding during surgery.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Very rare; estimated at 1 in 1.3 million people per year.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history (hereditary paraganglioma syndromes), age (middle-aged adults), and certain genetic mutations (e.g., SDH gene mutations).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Generally favorable for benign tumors; potential recurrence or incomplete removal in complex cases.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Hearing loss, cranial nerve damage, stroke (in rare cases), and rare malignant transformation.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Ear
Specialty: Ear
Category: Tumors and Growths of the Ear
Sub-category: Malignant Tumors
Symptoms:
persistent ear pain; scaly or crusted lesions on the ear; bleeding or oozing sores; hearing loss; visible ulceration or mass on the ear
Root Cause:
Uncontrolled growth of squamous cells, often triggered by prolonged UV exposure, chronic inflammation, or genetic predisposition.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Physical examination, biopsy of the lesion, imaging studies like CT or MRI to determine the extent of spread.
Treatment:
Surgical excision (primary approach), radiation therapy, or chemotherapy for advanced cases.
Medications:
Medications include immune checkpoint inhibitors like pembrolizumab or nivolumab (used in metastatic cases), and chemotherapy agents such as cisplatin and fluorouracil for advanced-stage disease. These are classified as immunotherapies and cytotoxic drugs, respectively.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; less than 5% of skin cancers occur on the ear.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Chronic sun exposure, fair skin, history of sunburns, immunosuppression, chronic infections, or injuries to the ear.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good if detected early; survival rates decrease significantly with metastatic disease.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Local invasion into surrounding structures, metastasis to lymph nodes or distant organs, chronic pain, disfigurement, and hearing loss.
Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Auricle
Specialty: Ear
Category: Tumors and Growths of the Ear
Sub-category: Malignant Tumors
Symptoms:
pearly or waxy bump on the ear; persistent sore that doesn't heal; visible blood vessels on the lesion; crusting and bleeding
Root Cause:
Mutation in basal cells of the epidermis, often caused by UV exposure, leading to unregulated growth.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Dermoscopic examination, punch or excisional biopsy, imaging if deep tissue involvement is suspected.
Treatment:
Mohs micrographic surgery, surgical excision, topical treatments like imiquimod for superficial cases, or radiation therapy for inoperable lesions.
Medications:
Topical medications such as imiquimod and 5-fluorouracil (anti-cancer agents for superficial basal cell carcinoma); systemic medications include vismodegib or sonidegib (Hedgehog pathway inhibitors) for advanced cases.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
The most common type of ear cancer; basal cell carcinoma represents around 80% of all skin cancers.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Sun exposure, light skin tone, family history of skin cancer, advanced age, previous radiation exposure.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent if treated early; rarely metastasizes but can cause local tissue damage.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Recurrence, local invasion into cartilage or bone, cosmetic deformity.
Rare Malignancies (e.g., Melanoma of the Ear)
Specialty: Ear
Category: Tumors and Growths of the Ear
Sub-category: Malignant Tumors
Symptoms:
dark or irregular pigmented lesion on the ear; bleeding or ulceration; growth or change in existing mole; asymmetry, border irregularity, color changes
Root Cause:
Uncontrolled proliferation of melanocytes due to UV radiation, genetic mutations (e.g., BRAF mutations), or other environmental factors.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Dermoscopic examination, biopsy (excisional or incisional), sentinel lymph node biopsy, imaging studies for staging.
Treatment:
Wide local excision, sentinel lymph node dissection, adjuvant therapies like immunotherapy (e.g., pembrolizumab) or targeted therapy (e.g., BRAF inhibitors like vemurafenib).
Medications:
Immunotherapies such as pembrolizumab or nivolumab ; targeted therapies like vemurafenib and dabrafenib for BRAF-mutated melanoma; chemotherapy agents like dacarbazine for advanced stages.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; accounts for less than 1% of skin malignancies, with even fewer cases occurring on the ear.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Sun exposure, fair skin, family history of melanoma, presence of atypical moles, history of severe sunburns.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Depends on stage; early-stage melanoma has a high survival rate, while advanced-stage melanoma carries a poorer prognosis.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Metastasis to lymph nodes or distant organs, recurrence, significant tissue damage, cosmetic and functional impairment.