iBet uBet web content aggregator. Adding the entire web to your favor.
iBet uBet web content aggregator. Adding the entire web to your favor.



Link to original content: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28670333
Synchronous bilateral tonsil carcinoma: case presentation and review of the literature - PubMed Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 Jun 26:12:38.
doi: 10.1186/s13027-017-0146-5. eCollection 2017.

Synchronous bilateral tonsil carcinoma: case presentation and review of the literature

M-N Theodoraki  1 , J A Veit  1 , T K Hoffmann  1 , J Greve  1
Affiliations
Review

Synchronous bilateral tonsil carcinoma: case presentation and review of the literature

M-N Theodoraki et al. Infect Agent Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: The incidence of synchronous bilateral tonsil carcinoma seems to be underreported. For adequate oncologic treatment, it is mandatory to remove all primaries to prevent recurrence or metachronic disease. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide a comprehensive review on this topic and to emphasize the need of bilateral tonsillectomy in cases of cancer of unknown primary (CUP) as well as in the case of a unilateral tonsillar carcinoma.

Material and methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed for "bilateral tonsillar neoplasm", "synchronous cancer of the oropharynx" and "cancer of unknown primary in head and neck".

Results: We present a clinical case with bilateral tonsillar carcinoma in initially suggested cancer of unknown primary. Clinically, both tonsillar sites were unsuspicious, but in PET/CT an ipsilateral enhancement of the tonsil area was detected. The pathological work up of bilateral tonsillectomy specimens revealed bilateral squamous cell carcinoma with HPV-type 16 positivity. The review of the literature revealed 29 cases of bilateral tonsil cancer.

Conclusion: The handling of tonsillar tissue in the frame of panendoscopy in the case of CUP is still controversial. We recommend a bilateral tonsillectomy as a routine procedure for cancer of unknown primary as well as unilateral tonsillar carcinoma. Herewith the detrimental consequences of occult metachronous contralateral tonsillar carcinoma can be prevented.

Keywords: Bilateral tonsillar carcinoma; Bilateral tonsillectomy; Cancer of unknown primary; Head and neck malignancy; Squamous cell carcinoma.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Immunhistochemical staining of cancer-testis-antigen MAGEA3/A4 with submucosal presentation of a tonsillar carcinoma. Figure of our unpublished data. T = tumor, S = stroma, M = mucosa
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Axial PET-CT scan. An asymmetric contrast medium enhancement of the right tonsil is visible (arrow). No enhancement of the left tonsil
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Cianchetti M, Mancuso AA, Amdur RJ, Werning JW, Kirwan J, Morris CG, Mendenhall WM. Diagnostic evaluation of squamous cell carcinoma metastatic to cervical lymph nodes from an unknown head and neck primary site. Laryngoscope. 2009;119(12):2348–2354. doi: 10.1002/lary.20638. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Lanzer M, Bachna-Rotter S, Graupp M, Bredell M, Rucker M, Huber G, Reinisch S, Schumann P. Unknown primary of the head and neck: A long-term follow-up. J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2015;43(4):574–579. doi: 10.1016/j.jcms.2015.03.004. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Moualed D, Qayyum A, Price T, Sharma A, Mahendran S. Bilateral synchronous tonsillar carcinoma: a case series and review of the literature. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2012;269(1):255–259. doi: 10.1007/s00405-011-1586-y. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Kothari P, Randhawa PS, Farrell R. Role of tonsillectomy in the search for a squamous cell carcinoma from an unknown primary in the head and neck. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2008;46(4):283–287. doi: 10.1016/j.bjoms.2007.11.017. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Jones AS, Morar P, Phillips DE, Field JK, Husband D, Helliwell TR. Second primary tumors in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer. 1995;75(6):1343–1353. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19950315)75:6<1343::AID-CNCR2820750617>3.0.CO;2-T. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources