ABSTRACT
Ewing's sarcoma, which accounts for 6 to 9% of malignant bone neoplasms in children, typically affects the trunk and long bones and less often affects the skull (i.e., maxilla, frontal, parietal, ethmoid, temporal bones). Adding to literature of five previously reported cases, we now describe the case of the oldest child, a 16-year-old boy, with a primary Ewing's sarcoma of the petrous temporal bone. When this patient presented after 1 week of right-sided facial paralysis and new-onset headache, imaging studies showed a mass that originated in the right petrous temporal bone. During biopsy and surgical excision, the mass was found to involve the facial nerve, which then required nerve grafting. Postoperatively, he then underwent radiotherapy with both induction and adjuvant chemotherapy. Although an uncommon tumor of the temporal bone, physicians should consider Ewing's sarcoma in the differential diagnosis of children and adolescents who present with facial nerve paralysis.
KEYWORDS
Ewing's sarcoma - petrous temporal bone - facial nerve paralysis
REFERENCES
Malignant bone tumors . In: Ries LAG, Smith MA, Gurney JG Cancer Incidence and Survival Among Children and Adolescents: United States SEER Program 1975–1995. Bethesda, MD; NIH 1999: 99-110
Available at: http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/COG-AEWS0031 Accessed January 9, 2008
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