Malignant tumors of the auricle, ear canal, and temporal bone comprise a unique group of new growths in a special sense organ. Their surgical management requires careful analysis of the type, position, and size of the tumor and its relationship to the vital structures in this area. The esthetic qualities of the pinna, the hearing and vestibular apparatus, the facial nerve, and, in the more extensive problems relating to the mandible, the parotid gland, temporal bone, and lateral neck must be equated. A division of the cancerous tumors into three groups adds some clarity to the management and facilitates statistical analysis. These categories are (1) the auricle, (2) the ear canal, and (3) the temporal bone.
These three principal groups may be further subdivided into the type, site, and size of each tumor in each category. It is obvious that the larger neoplasms in any one of the groups may