Neoplasms are the abnormal growth when cells continue to proliferate and don’t die when they should. The abnormal tumor growth can either be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Cancer of the ear is considered to be rare and most develop in the skin of the outer ear. The squamous cell cancers are the common forms of an ear and temporal bone cancers which can be aggressive with the possibility of spreading. The adenoid cystic carcinoma develops from the glands that produce earwax and are also very rare form of ear and temporal bone cancer.
The common symptoms of middle ear cancer include the discharge from the ear that may be blood stained, earache and hearing loss. The symptoms of inner ear cancer can consist of a headache, tinnitus, dizziness and hearing loss. The stage of cancer is determined by its confinement to the site where it developed or if it has spread to other parts of the body. The treatment for cancer is usually focused on the location, the type, the size and the stage of cancer. The treatment may involve surgery to remove the tumor, radiotherapy that uses high-energy rays and chemotherapy where drugs destroy the cancerous cells.
Cholesteatoma
These are benign tumors and are noncancerous. This develops with perforation of the ear drum that instead of healing, the skin abnormally grows through the hole into the middle ear becoming a tumor. This growth can affect the bones of hearing and can present recurring discharge from the ear. When the cholesteatomas erode the bone leading into the inner ear, it can result in deafness, severe imbalance and dizziness. This condition can be serious and if left untreated, it can result in severe complications such as brain infection. The treatment involves a microsurgery to remove the tumor completely.
Ceruminous tumors
This is a rare type of neoplasms that develop in the external auditory canal. These tumors may be present for years as non-ulcerated masses which can continue to involve the bony external auditory canal or the middle ear. The symptoms develop as the result of obstruction and include the hearing loss, discharge and tinnitus. The surgical excision involves the complete removal of the tumor and presents good prognosis.
Squamous papilloma
This is a rare tumor that develops in other parts of the body and includes the external and middle ear. The main cause of squamous papillomas of the external auditory canal appears to be the human papilloma virus. These lesions have a low risk of bony destruction and its transformation to malignancy has also been reported. The tumor appears to grow slowly that causes obstruction of the external auditory canal and can result in deafness.
References
http://www.earsurgery.org/conditions/cholesteatoma/
http://www.histopathology-india.net/ear_papilloma.htm