Paranasal means near the nose. Paranasal sinuses are hollow, air-filled spaces in the bone around the nose. The sinuses are lined with cells that make mucus which keeps the inside of nose moist. Paranasal sinuses include maxillary sinus (cheekbones on either side of the nose), ethmoid sinuses (between the eyes and beside the upper nose), frontal sinuses (forehead, above nose), Sphenoid sinuses (center of skull, behind the nose).

Patients are often asymptomatic until late in course of their disease. Blocked sinuses, blood stained discharge from nose, persistent headaches, pain in sinus areas, Lump on face or roof of mouth, Numbness or tingling in face etc are common presentation. Squamous cell carcinoma is commonest pathology. Other’s histopathology is adenocarcinoma, esthesioneuroblastoma, sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma, small cell and sinonasal neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), incisional biopsy, Excisional biopsy or open biopsy may be needed for confirmation of disease depending upon location of disease. Imaging CT scan or MRI required for extent of disease and future plan.

Surgical resection followed by postop radiotherapy remain corner stone of treatment in advanced stage. Wide local excision with negative surgical margin is standard treatment for early-stage cancer. Neck dissection may be required depending upon type of tumor and neck nodal involvement.