Nasopharyngeal cancer found after treatment of unknown primary cancer in the head and neck

Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology 2018;34(2):53-56.
Published online November 30, 2018.

Eun Ji Kim;Ki Hwan Hong;Yong Tae Hong

두경부 원발부위 불명암에서 치료 후 발견된 비인두암

김은지;홍기환;홍용태

Abstract

Despite adequate diagnostic work-up, unknown primary carcinoma(UPC) of the head and neck cannot be detected in approximately 2- 3% of patients.(1,2) There are several explanations for a cervical metastasis in the absence of a primary tumor. Here in, we report 2 patients, who were diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer after treatment of unknown primary cancer of the neck. Both patients had radical neck dissections and chemoradiation therapy, but 1 patient showed nasopharyngeal cancers 4 years after treatment and the other patient at 9 months after treatment for the unknown primary cancer. Therefore, we report 2 cases of nasopharyngeal cancer, which were diagnosed after treatment of unknown head and neck primary site.

Key Words: Nasopharyngeal cancer, Unknown primary cancer

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