Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Ear Cancer?Skin Cancer of the EarCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Ear Cancer?
Skin Cancer of the Ear
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Earcanceris exceptionally rare. When it does occur, different types of cancer can affect different parts of the ear. Certain skin cancers may occur on or in the ear. In other cases, tumors can appear in themiddle earor ear canal.
This article explains the different types of ear cancer, risk factors, symptoms, and ways to treat it.
Ear cancer usually starts asskin canceron the external ear or in the ear canal, but it can also develop in other structures of the ear such as the following:
Here is a closer look at the different types of ear cancer, where they are likely to occur, and the symptoms typically associated with the cancer type and location.
Infection or Cancer?Ear cancer is commonly mistaken for an ear infection. Similar symptoms include:Ear painDrainageHearing lossBleedingIf you have been diagnosed with anear infectionbut have persistent ear discharge or suspect cancer, don’t wait to tell your healthcare provider or get a second opinion.
Infection or Cancer?
Ear cancer is commonly mistaken for an ear infection. Similar symptoms include:Ear painDrainageHearing lossBleedingIf you have been diagnosed with anear infectionbut have persistent ear discharge or suspect cancer, don’t wait to tell your healthcare provider or get a second opinion.
Ear cancer is commonly mistaken for an ear infection. Similar symptoms include:
If you have been diagnosed with anear infectionbut have persistent ear discharge or suspect cancer, don’t wait to tell your healthcare provider or get a second opinion.
What Does Skin Cancer of the Ear Look Like?
Ear cancer encompasses several different types of cancers, including:
Squamous cell carcinomais the most common skin cancer type to affect the ears. Eighty percent of cancers of the ear canal are squamous cell carcinoma.
Types of Cancer and How They Differ
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma occurs with abnormal and accelerated growth of squamous cells, the flat cells that make up the outermost layer of the skin called the epidermis.Symptoms can include:
Squamous cell carcinoma tends to appear in areas exposed to the sun. Practicing safe sun, including using broad-spectrum sunscreen and avoiding tanning beds are the best ways to lower your risk.
4 Dermatologists Share Tips for Preventing Skin Cancer Year-Round
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma is less likely to spread to other areas of the body and grows more slowly than other skin cancers. Basal cell carcinoma is usually treatable, especially when caught early.
The appearance ofbasal cell carcinomavaries greatly. It can look like:
What Does Skin Cancer Look Like?Skin cancerlooks different on everyone. Pay attention to your skin—including on your ears—and report to your healthcare provider anything that is new or has changed, even if it doesn’t fit the descriptions of common skin cancers.
What Does Skin Cancer Look Like?
Skin cancerlooks different on everyone. Pay attention to your skin—including on your ears—and report to your healthcare provider anything that is new or has changed, even if it doesn’t fit the descriptions of common skin cancers.
Pictures of Melanoma and Other Skin Cancers
Melanoma
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that affects the skin’s melanocyte cells (the cells that produce melanin, which darkens the skin). It is less common for melanoma to cause ear cancer than other types, but malignant melanoma accounts for some 75% of all skin cancer deaths in the United States.
A sore that doesn’t heal, or a change that causes pain or itchiness, may also suggest skin cancer. Safe sun practices are an important way to lower your risk for melanoma, but keep in mind that melanoma can develop in areas that are not exposed to the sun.
Everything You Need to Know About Melanoma Treatment
Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma
Adenoid cystic carcinoma typically affects the salivary glands (less so the parotid) but often affects the ear canal. It is a less common cause of ear cancer.
Symptoms of adenoid cystic carcinoma in the head and neck area include:
Paralysis of a facial nerve is common and, with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a hallmark of the diagnosis.
A Look Inside the Ear Canal
Ear Adenocarcinoma
A rare ear adenocarcinoma is a tumor arising from the middle ear mucosa. They can start in the middle ear or spread to the middle ear from another location of the body. These tend to occur in younger people.
Middle ear symptoms include:
Parotid Glands
The parotid glands, just in front of the ears, are the largest salivary glands. About 70% of salivary tumors begin here, most of them benign. Yet most acinic cell carcinomas begin in the parotid glands, as do most salivary gland tumors that are cancerous.
If untreated, cancer of the parotid glands can spread to the ear. Ear cancer can also spread to the parotid glands, either through direct extension or to the lymph nodes within the parotid gland.
Everything You Need to Know About Parotitis
Causes of Ear Cancer
Certain factors can increase the risk of developing ear cancer. In addition to ultraviolet sunlight exposure, they include:
What Is Metastasis?
Diagnosing Ear Cancer
Your healthcare provider will ask you to explain your symptoms. They will do a physical exam of your outer ear and look inside your ear with a tool called an otoscope.
Abiopsy(a sample of tissue removed from the affected area and examined under a microscope) will be conducted to determine if the tumor or tissue is cancerous.
Imaging tests, such as CT (computed tomography) or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans may be ordered to see how big the cancer is, where it is, and check if it has spread from (or to) the parotid gland or lymph nodes in the neck.
Treatment of Ear Cancer
Surgery is the go-to treatment for ear cancer. Several types of surgeries are used, depending on the severity and location of the cancer.
Pinna Surgery
The pinna is the external part of the ear. If the tumor or lesion is small, it can sometimes be removed in a doctor’s office using local anesthesia. If the tumor is large, a portion of the ear will need to be removed and the ear will require construction.After reconstruction, the pinna usually looks fairly natural.
Sleeve Resection Surgery
With sleeve resection surgery, the ear canal, skin, bone, and eardrum are removed and the ear is reconstructed.Hearing is not affected.
Lateral Temporal Bone Resection Surgery
During lateral temporal bone resection surgery, the sleeve area of the outer ear is removed as well as the middle ear.This usually results in total hearing loss, but some people are able to use a hearing aid after the surgery.
Radical Temporal Bone Resection Surgery
Radical temporal bone resection involves removing almost the entire temporal bone (the sleeve, middle ear, and inner ear) and exposing of the brain.Reconstruction of the temporal bone is required. A head and neck surgical team and a neurosurgical team are required if the tumor has spread to the brain.
After Surgery
Prevention Is BestWhile ear cancer can’t always be prevented, it often starts with skin cancer. Practicing safe sun, including using sunscreen, staying in the shade, and avoiding tanning beds, can lower your risk of skin cancer that could turn into ear cancer.
Prevention Is Best
While ear cancer can’t always be prevented, it often starts with skin cancer. Practicing safe sun, including using sunscreen, staying in the shade, and avoiding tanning beds, can lower your risk of skin cancer that could turn into ear cancer.
Prognosis
The prognosis (the expected outcome) and success rates of treatment for ear cancer highly depend on the type of cancer, the location, and the severity of the cancer.
A 2021 review of 431 people diagnosed with middle ear cancers found an average survival time of 61.4 months. Adenocarcinomas responded well to surgery with an improved prognosis.Keep in mind that survival statistics are based on the past and not the future (this sample from the SEER database spanned 1973-2016).
New insights and treatments continue to emerge. Early diagnosis is key. Most ear cancer can be successfully treated if it is caught before it spreads from the pinnea and ear canal. Early diagnosis also means less invasive treatment.
Summary
Ear cancer is rare, but it can be serious. Luckily, if it’s caught early, it can be successfully treated. Because the symptoms of ear cancer can look like less serious conditions, it’s important to see your healthcare provider if you have any symptoms of ear cancer or skin cancer.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cancer Research UK.What Is Ear Cancer?Stanford Ear Institute.Ear cancer.Zainuddin N, Abdullah O.Squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal in a patient with non-resolving ear discharge.Malays Fam Physician. 2015;10(2):52-54.The Skin Cancer Foundation.Squamous cells.Skin Cancer Foundation.Basal cell carcinoma.Patel TD, Chin OY, Baredes S, Eloy JA, Ying YM.A Population Based Analysis of Melanoma of the External Ear.Otol Neurotol. 2018 Feb;39(2):e137-e142. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000001645.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of melanoma skin cancer.Cantù G.Adenoid cystic carcinoma. An indolent but aggressive tumour. Part A: from aetiopathogenesis to diagnosis.Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2021 Jun;41(3):206-214. doi:10.14639/0392-100X-N1379American Cancer Society.Signs and Symptoms of Salivary Gland Cancer.Alam U, Shafqat I, Ahsan S, Alonso J, Han AY, Mukdad L,et al.Survival in Middle Ear Malignancy: A Population-Based Analysis Based on the SEER Database.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021 Jul;165(1):122-128. doi: 10.1177/0194599820980708.American Cancer Society.Salivary gland cancer.MD Anderson Cancer Center.Q&a: ear and temporal bone cancer.Cedars-Sinai.Ear and temporal bone cancer.Moser U, Andrianakis A, Pondorfer P, Wolf A, Graupp M, Weiland T, Holzmeister C, Wild D, Thurnher D.Sex-specific differences in patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer of the pinna.Head Neck. 2020 Sep;42(9):2414-2420. doi: 10.1002/hed.26237.Shinomiya H, Uehara N, Teshima M, Kakigi A, Otsuki N, Nibu KI.Clinical management for T1 and T2 external auditory canal cancer.Auris Nasus Larynx. 2019 Oct;46(5):785-789. doi: 10.1016/j.anl.2019.02.004Iwami K, Fujii M, Nishio N, Maruo T, Yoshida T, Mukoyama N,et al.Surgical Classification of Radical Temporal Bone Resection and Transcranial Tympanotomy: A Retrospective Study from the Neurosurgical Perspective.World Neurosurg. 2021 Jul;151:e192-e207. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.04.002.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cancer Research UK.What Is Ear Cancer?Stanford Ear Institute.Ear cancer.Zainuddin N, Abdullah O.Squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal in a patient with non-resolving ear discharge.Malays Fam Physician. 2015;10(2):52-54.The Skin Cancer Foundation.Squamous cells.Skin Cancer Foundation.Basal cell carcinoma.Patel TD, Chin OY, Baredes S, Eloy JA, Ying YM.A Population Based Analysis of Melanoma of the External Ear.Otol Neurotol. 2018 Feb;39(2):e137-e142. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000001645.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of melanoma skin cancer.Cantù G.Adenoid cystic carcinoma. An indolent but aggressive tumour. Part A: from aetiopathogenesis to diagnosis.Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2021 Jun;41(3):206-214. doi:10.14639/0392-100X-N1379American Cancer Society.Signs and Symptoms of Salivary Gland Cancer.Alam U, Shafqat I, Ahsan S, Alonso J, Han AY, Mukdad L,et al.Survival in Middle Ear Malignancy: A Population-Based Analysis Based on the SEER Database.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021 Jul;165(1):122-128. doi: 10.1177/0194599820980708.American Cancer Society.Salivary gland cancer.MD Anderson Cancer Center.Q&a: ear and temporal bone cancer.Cedars-Sinai.Ear and temporal bone cancer.Moser U, Andrianakis A, Pondorfer P, Wolf A, Graupp M, Weiland T, Holzmeister C, Wild D, Thurnher D.Sex-specific differences in patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer of the pinna.Head Neck. 2020 Sep;42(9):2414-2420. doi: 10.1002/hed.26237.Shinomiya H, Uehara N, Teshima M, Kakigi A, Otsuki N, Nibu KI.Clinical management for T1 and T2 external auditory canal cancer.Auris Nasus Larynx. 2019 Oct;46(5):785-789. doi: 10.1016/j.anl.2019.02.004Iwami K, Fujii M, Nishio N, Maruo T, Yoshida T, Mukoyama N,et al.Surgical Classification of Radical Temporal Bone Resection and Transcranial Tympanotomy: A Retrospective Study from the Neurosurgical Perspective.World Neurosurg. 2021 Jul;151:e192-e207. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.04.002.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cancer Research UK.What Is Ear Cancer?Stanford Ear Institute.Ear cancer.Zainuddin N, Abdullah O.Squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal in a patient with non-resolving ear discharge.Malays Fam Physician. 2015;10(2):52-54.The Skin Cancer Foundation.Squamous cells.Skin Cancer Foundation.Basal cell carcinoma.Patel TD, Chin OY, Baredes S, Eloy JA, Ying YM.A Population Based Analysis of Melanoma of the External Ear.Otol Neurotol. 2018 Feb;39(2):e137-e142. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000001645.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of melanoma skin cancer.Cantù G.Adenoid cystic carcinoma. An indolent but aggressive tumour. Part A: from aetiopathogenesis to diagnosis.Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2021 Jun;41(3):206-214. doi:10.14639/0392-100X-N1379American Cancer Society.Signs and Symptoms of Salivary Gland Cancer.Alam U, Shafqat I, Ahsan S, Alonso J, Han AY, Mukdad L,et al.Survival in Middle Ear Malignancy: A Population-Based Analysis Based on the SEER Database.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021 Jul;165(1):122-128. doi: 10.1177/0194599820980708.American Cancer Society.Salivary gland cancer.MD Anderson Cancer Center.Q&a: ear and temporal bone cancer.Cedars-Sinai.Ear and temporal bone cancer.Moser U, Andrianakis A, Pondorfer P, Wolf A, Graupp M, Weiland T, Holzmeister C, Wild D, Thurnher D.Sex-specific differences in patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer of the pinna.Head Neck. 2020 Sep;42(9):2414-2420. doi: 10.1002/hed.26237.Shinomiya H, Uehara N, Teshima M, Kakigi A, Otsuki N, Nibu KI.Clinical management for T1 and T2 external auditory canal cancer.Auris Nasus Larynx. 2019 Oct;46(5):785-789. doi: 10.1016/j.anl.2019.02.004Iwami K, Fujii M, Nishio N, Maruo T, Yoshida T, Mukoyama N,et al.Surgical Classification of Radical Temporal Bone Resection and Transcranial Tympanotomy: A Retrospective Study from the Neurosurgical Perspective.World Neurosurg. 2021 Jul;151:e192-e207. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.04.002.
Cancer Research UK.What Is Ear Cancer?
Stanford Ear Institute.Ear cancer.
Zainuddin N, Abdullah O.Squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal in a patient with non-resolving ear discharge.Malays Fam Physician. 2015;10(2):52-54.
The Skin Cancer Foundation.Squamous cells.
Skin Cancer Foundation.Basal cell carcinoma.
Patel TD, Chin OY, Baredes S, Eloy JA, Ying YM.A Population Based Analysis of Melanoma of the External Ear.Otol Neurotol. 2018 Feb;39(2):e137-e142. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000001645.
American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of melanoma skin cancer.
Cantù G.Adenoid cystic carcinoma. An indolent but aggressive tumour. Part A: from aetiopathogenesis to diagnosis.Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2021 Jun;41(3):206-214. doi:10.14639/0392-100X-N1379
American Cancer Society.Signs and Symptoms of Salivary Gland Cancer.
Alam U, Shafqat I, Ahsan S, Alonso J, Han AY, Mukdad L,et al.Survival in Middle Ear Malignancy: A Population-Based Analysis Based on the SEER Database.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021 Jul;165(1):122-128. doi: 10.1177/0194599820980708.
American Cancer Society.Salivary gland cancer.
MD Anderson Cancer Center.Q&a: ear and temporal bone cancer.
Cedars-Sinai.Ear and temporal bone cancer.
Moser U, Andrianakis A, Pondorfer P, Wolf A, Graupp M, Weiland T, Holzmeister C, Wild D, Thurnher D.Sex-specific differences in patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer of the pinna.Head Neck. 2020 Sep;42(9):2414-2420. doi: 10.1002/hed.26237.
Shinomiya H, Uehara N, Teshima M, Kakigi A, Otsuki N, Nibu KI.Clinical management for T1 and T2 external auditory canal cancer.Auris Nasus Larynx. 2019 Oct;46(5):785-789. doi: 10.1016/j.anl.2019.02.004
Iwami K, Fujii M, Nishio N, Maruo T, Yoshida T, Mukoyama N,et al.Surgical Classification of Radical Temporal Bone Resection and Transcranial Tympanotomy: A Retrospective Study from the Neurosurgical Perspective.World Neurosurg. 2021 Jul;151:e192-e207. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.04.002.
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