About 80% of patients with middle ear cancer have a history of chronic suppurative otitis media, and the duration of otitis media is usually more than 10 years, so it is thought that its occurrence may be related to inflammation. Middle ear papillomas can also become cancerous. Cancers of the external auditory canal can invade the mastoid cavity of the middle ear, and it is often impossible to distinguish the primary site clinically. Middle ear cancer is a rare malignant tumor that occurs in the middle ear and mastoid area. It is mostly primary, but can also be secondary to cancer of the external auditory canal, auricle or nasopharynx. Most patients have a history of chronic purulent otitis media, and the age of prevalence is 40-60 years old. What are the common symptoms of middle ear cancer? The common symptoms of middle ear cancer include deep throbbing or stabbing pain in the ear, pus or purulent discharge from the ear, ear stuffiness, tinnitus, hearing loss, vertigo and facial palsy, etc. Other symptoms of brain nerve involvement, intracranial and distant metastasis may appear in advanced stage. The possibility of middle ear cancer should be considered in any of the following cases: 1. granulation or polyp-like neoplasm in the deep part of the external auditory canal or within the tympanic cavity, which recurs rapidly after excision or bleeds easily when touched; 2. chronic purulent otitis media with pus flowing from the ear transformed into purulent hemorrhagic or bloody discharge; 3. persistent pain in the deep part of the ear disproportionate to the physical examination of the ear with chronic purulent otitis media; 4. long-term failure of mastoid radical surgery cavity with persistent granulation growth; 5. 5.Sudden aggravation of symptoms of chronic suppurative otitis media or occurrence of facial paralysis. What are the common treatment methods of middle ear cancer? 1.Surgical treatment mastoidectomy: Applicable to lesions limited to middle ear cavity, or mastoid cavity, without facial nerve canal, inner ear or temporal bone invasion. Subtotal temporal bone resection: The scope of resection includes the external auditory canal, mastoid process, part of the temporomandibular joint, the squamous part of the temporal bone, and the outer 1/2 to 1/3 of the rock bone, and only part of the internal auditory canal, part of the internal carotid canal and the rock tip within the internal carotid canal are retained. Total temporal osteotomy: The scope of resection includes the squamous part of the temporal bone, mastoid and all the rock bone. 2.Radiotherapy Since middle ear tumor is wrapped by temporal bone, radiotherapy is difficult to cure completely, so surgery plus radiotherapy can significantly improve the efficacy. If the tumor invades into the carotid canal and cannot be removed, radiotherapy can be considered first to reduce the tumor scope and then surgery can be performed.