Undifferentiated carcinoma of the nasopharynx and leukemoid reaction: report of case with literature review

J Laryngol Otol. 1997 Jan;111(1):66-9. doi: 10.1017/s0022215100136461.

Abstract

A case of undifferentiated carcinoma of the nasopharynx presenting as a cervical mass associated with a paraneoplastic neutrophilic leukemoid reaction is reported. The diagnosis of undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma of the Regaud type was established by the presence of aggregates of epithelial neoplastic cells separated by areas of reactive lymphoid cells; the epithelial nature being confirmed by the positivity for epithelial markers (AE1/AE3, EMA). Serum IL-1a, GM-CSF and TNF alpha remained undetectable suggesting that these factors were not involved in the occurrence of the paraneoplastic leukemoid syndrome.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Carcinoma / complications*
  • Carcinoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / blood
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-1 / analysis
  • Leukemoid Reaction / complications*
  • Leukemoid Reaction / diagnostic imaging
  • Leukemoid Reaction / pathology
  • Male
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / complications*
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / blood
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / pathology*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / analysis

Substances

  • Interleukin-1
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor