Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Malignant Tumors
Number of Conditions: 3
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.