This is a report of a 32-year-old woman who presented with a hidradenoma papilliferum of the external auditory canal. The lesion bears a marked histologic resemblance to vulvar hidradenoma papilliferum and to intraductal papillioma of the breast and, as in the latter neoplasm it may malignancy. However, these are benign tumours and warrant only local resection. Clinical symptoms related to obstructure of the external ear and some hearing loss.

This report emphasizes again the variety of neoplasms which occur under the generic name of ceruminoma. It is recommended that each of these tumours be classified according to its characteristic histologic features and that the term ceruminoma, as used at present, be abandoned.

Adenomas of the ceruminous glands located in the external auditory canal are rare tumours (Batsakis et al., 1967; Cankar and Crowley, 1964; Pluec, 1977). About forty cases have so far been reported in the literature (Dehner and Chen, 1980). The histological classification of these benign ceruminous tumours is similar to that used for sweat gland tumours in other locations (Neldner, 1968; Pahor and O'Hara, 1975; Wetli et al., 1978).

The most common type demonstrates features of glandular or tubular adenoma with epithelial structures which are similar to those of normal apocrine glands (Althaus and Ross, 1970; Anagnostou et al., 1974; Leitner, 1952; Camkar and Crowley, 1964). The second type of benign ceruminoma is the pleomorphic adenoma (Mark and Rothberg, 1951; Smith and Duarte, 1962; Pahor and O'Hara, 1975). Its histogenesis from ceruminous or ectopic salivary glands is still debated.

The purpose of this paper is to report still another type of benign ceruminoma, namely the hidradenoma papilliferum which so far has only been mentioned as a theoretical possibility (Dehner and Chen, 1980).

A Retrospective review of 45 patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated by a combination of initial chemotherapy (Price and Hill Schedule A) followed by radiotherapy is presented. The regime produced excellent immediate palliation with a tumour control of 50 per cent, and a disease-free survival of 33 per cent at one year and 27 per cent at two years. Treatment morbidity was minimal in an aged patient group.

Benign tumors of the larynx are rare lesions and seldom encountered by radiologists. They usually are small, most commonly being diagnosed by indirect or direct laryngoscopy. A case of a large benign lipoma arising from the larynx which was visualized radiographically is described. A definitive diagnosis, however, was only possible following surgical excision of the lesion.

A 55-year-old man with symptoms of hearing loss, balance disturbance, and facial weakness was treated by translabyrinthine eighth cranial nerve trans-section. The patient also had a history and physical signs of chronic alcoholism and peripheral polyneuropathy. Results of laboratory tests revealed concomitant nutritional deficiency. Histopathological examination of the eighth nerve showed extensive degeneration of both myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers in both cochlear and vestibular divisions. Light and electron microscopic features of the degenerative process were compatible with previously described pathology of experimentally induced Wallerian-like degeneration. Alcoholic neuropathy as the cause of hearing loss and balance disturbance—and probably facial paresis—is suggested.