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Ear cancer is a rare disease that causes abnormal cell growth in the ear. This disease is difficult to treat and sometimes cause complete hearing loss. According to the American Cancer Society, it occurs in 1 out of 100000 people and the rate has dropped by 0.6% every year since 1990s. 

What is ear cancer? 

A rare cancer, mostly starts from in the skin of the outer ear and spread throughout various ear structure including both the inner and external parts of the ear like ear canal and ear drums. According to the previous study, males may have a slightly higher risk of developing ear cancer than in females.

The type of skin cancer also causing ear cancer are Basal cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)- A skin cancer that can develop on the pinna or outer ear including other parts of the body as well like neck and head and tends to be more aggressive here. 

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)  A skin cancer that begins on the skin of the outer ear or in the ear canal and can affect the ears temporal bone and external auditory canal, affecting 1–6 people per million each year as reported. It can also affect other parts of the ear, such as:

• The eardrum
• Hearing bones
• The mastoid bone
• The facial movement nerve
• The inner ear

Ear cancer has different stages depending upon the severity of cancers and based on these stages, doctors advised for the start of treatment. The stages are characterised on the basis of :

• Size of the tumor – whether the tumor has grown beyond the middle ear, entered the bone, or makes the face numb
• Presence or absence of cancer cells in the lymph nodes
• If cancer spread to other parts of the body, such as the salivary gland, jaw, or base of the skull

What are the symptoms of ear cancer? 

Depending on the spread of the tumor and its location,  symptoms varies. The common symptoms include ear pain, blood in the ear and hearing problems. The other symptoms significantly depends on which part of the ear affected includes:

Outer ear-The sign of skin cancer in the outer ear includes the earlobe, ear rim (called the pinna), and the outer entrance to the ear canal and symptoms occurs are scaly patches of skin that remains as it is, even after moisturizing, skin ulcers that bleed and pearly white lumps under the skin.

Ear canal-The sign includes pain, seepage from the ear, difficulty in hearing, a visible lump or tumor in the ear canal and weakness on the side of the face nearest to the affected ear

Middle ear- Ear pain, hearing loss, blood in the ear, discharge from the ear and inability to move the face around the affected ear

Inner ear- Tinnitus or ringing in the ear, ear pain, headache, dizziness and hearing loss

Causes and Treatment

Cancer occurs due to abnormal cell growth and so is true for ear cancer. Though the exact cause is unclear but people suffering from ear infection of more than 10 years, increases the chance of developing ear cancer, as per the reports.  UV exposure also develop cancer on the skin of the ear. It is also reported that people with light skin increases the risk of skin cancer.

Medical attention is required to get early diagnosis, when a person suffers from symptoms like long lasting ear infection, hearing loss, any visible sores or bumps or dizziness. Many treatment options are available based on the size of cancerous growth and where it is located. This includes surgery followed by radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Sometimes other option available i.e. the removal of ear canal, bone, and eardrum.

The Bottom Line

Ear cancer is a rare disease with common symptoms like ear pain or hearing loss. People with a history of chronic ear disease and infections might be at a greater risk of developing ear cancer and needs to be more cautious. If experience such symptoms, it is advisable to visit healthcare as the early detection and treatment of ear cancer can increase the chance of survival rate.