Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Mimicking Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a tumor arising from the epithelial cells that covers the surface and lining of the nasopharynx. It is divided into keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma, and non-keratinizing carcinoma, which can be further divided into differentiated and undifferentiated subtypes. Symptoms of NPC can be obscure due to its anatomic location. On the other hand, sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma defined as a highly aggressive and clinicopathologically distinctive carcinoma of uncertain histogenesis that typically presents with locally extensive disease. The present report is a case of 66-year-old malay woman with underlying hypertension, hyperlipidemia and ischemic heart disease presented with swelling over the left upper palate for 5 months associated with the nasal symptoms. Cranial nerves were intact. Nasal endoscopy of the left nose revealed a mass occupying the left nasal cavity with histopathology of sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma. However, CT scan result showed huge left nasopharyngeal carcinoma with local invasion and intracranial extension.