A 55-year-old male presents with unilateral nasal obstruction, epistaxis, and proptosis. Imaging shows a mass in the right maxillary sinus extending into the orbit. Biopsy confirms malignancy. The most common histological type of sinonasal malignancy is:

• A Adenoid cystic carcinoma
• B Malignant melanoma
• C Olfactory neuroblastoma
• D Squamous cell carcinoma ✓

Explanation

Squamous cell carcinoma accounts for approximately 70-80% of all sinonasal malignancies, making it the most common histological type. Adenoid cystic carcinoma is more common in minor salivary glands of the sinonasal tract but overall less frequent than SCC. Olfactory neuroblastoma and malignant melanoma are rare entities. The maxillary sinus is the most common site for sinonasal SCC.

Reference: Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, 7th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.