Primary Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Nasal Cavity After Successful Curative Therapy of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Case Report

Abstract

Patients with head and neck cancer have a greater risk of developing second primary malignant neoplasms than patients with any other type of malignancy. Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SNEC) mainly occurs in the lung, and is rarely found in the head and neck region. Only a few cases of sinonasal SNEC have been reported in the English literature. A woman aged 53 years, who had undergone successful curative radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma 10 years earlier, presented with a history of bleeding from the left nostril for several weeks. A computed tomography scan of the head and neck showed a mass in the left nasal cavity with extension into the maxillary sinus. A biopsy specimen was taken and pathology revealed SNEC. The patient underwent a full course of concurrent chemoradiotherapy. No local recurrence or distant metastasis was noted during the 12 months of follow-up.

Keywords

• nasal cavity
• nasopharyngeal carcinoma
• small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma