Treatment of Orbital Tumors

Orbital tumors may occur in the bony cavity that houses the eyeball, muscles, fat, and even the nerves and arteries of the eye. Orbital tumors can be benign or malignant, and may require a biopsy in order to diagnose. 

Types of Tumors include: 

Benign tumors are non-cancerous growths. Symptoms mimic those of sinusitis, and often take some time to discover. Most benign tumors of the sinuses are treated with biopsy and surgical excision. Our center specializes in the minimally-invasive endoscopic approach to tumor excision. Fibroosseous lesions are one category of benign tumor. Many of these are discovered incidentally, and do not necessarily need to be removed unless they are specifically troublesome to the patient.

Malignant tumors of the sinuses are uncommon, but can occur. A number of different types of malignant tumors can be found in the nose and sinuses. Depending on the type of tumor, treatment may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgical excision, or a combination of the three. Malignant tumors of the sinuses are particularly problematic because of their close proximity to the eyes, skull base, mouth, and face. Our approach to treatment of patients with sinus cancers utilizes a multidisciplinary team of many specialists, which has been shown to provide the best outcomes. This has been our experience as well, as the University of Colorado Hospital recently ranked the best in the region for cancer care according to U.S. News and World Report 2011.

Mucoceles are benign processes which can mimic tumors. An obstructed region builds up mucus, which can expand into surrounding areas such as the orbit of skull base. Diagnosis is made based upon the patient’s history and characteristic findings on CT and MRI scans. Surgical treatment is curative in the majority of cases.