Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-vpsfw Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-20T16:14:12.379Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Retropharyngeal abscess. A rare presentation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Martin Wai Pak ,
Ka Lai Chan  and
Charles Andrew van Hasselt
Martin Wai Pak
Affiliation:
Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
Ka Lai Chan
Affiliation:
Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
Charles Andrew van Hasselt*
Affiliation:
Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
*
Address for correspondence: Professor C. A. van Hasselt, Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong. Fax: (852) 26466312
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Early symptoms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) can often be deceptive and confusing. Most patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma present at an advanced stage with metastatic cervical nodes present at the time of diagnosis. A deep neck abscess as the presenting feature has not been reported. We report two cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma which presented with retropharyngeal abscesses and persistent lymphadenopathy. These two patients illustrate that refractory lymphadenopathy, despite adequate treatment of the associated infection, should prompt a search for underlying disease. The relationship between nasopharyngeal carcinoma and retropharyngeal abscess is discussed.

Keywords

Abscess, retropharyngealNasopharyngeal neoplasmsComplications
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 113 , Issue 1 , January 1999 , pp. 70 - 72
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Chong, V. F., Fan, Y. F., Khoo, J. B. (1995) Retropharyngeal lymphadenopathy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. European Journal of Radiology 21(2): 100–105.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chua, D. T., Sham, J. S., Kwong, D. L., Au, G. K., Choy, D. T. (1997) Retropharyngeal lymphadenopathy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma:a computed tomography-based study. Cancer 79(5): 869–877.3.0.CO;2-7>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Henle, G., Henle, W. (1976) EBV specific IgA serum antibodies as an outstanding feature of NPC. International Journal of Cancer 17: 1–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ho, J. H. C. (1978) Stage classification of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A review in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, etiology and control. IARC Scientific Publications 20: 99–113.Google Scholar
Hu, M. (1985) Epidemiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In Etiology and Pathogenesis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (Zeng, Y., Ou, B., eds.) Chinese Academy of Science Press, People's Republic of China, pp 1–17.Google Scholar
Huang, D. P. (1991) Epidemiology and aetiology. In Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. 1st Edition. (van Hasselt, A. C., Gibb, A. G., eds.) The Chinese University Press, Hong Kong, pp 23–36.Google ScholarPubMed
Lam, W. W., Chan, Y. L., Leung, S. F., Metreweli, C. (1997) Retropharyngeal lymphadenopathy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Head and Neck 19(3):176–181.3.0.CO;2-#>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lanier, A. P. (1977) Surgery of cancer incidence in Alaskan natives. Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs 47: 87–88.Google Scholar
Mallen, R. W., Shandro, W. G. (1974) Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Eskimos. Canadian Journal of Otolaryngology 3: 175–179.Google ScholarPubMed
Martin, H. E., Romieu, C. (1952) The diagnostic significance of a lump in the neck. Postgraduate Medicine 11: 491–500.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Muir, C., Waterhouse, J., Mack, T., Powell, J., Whelan, S. (1987) In Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Lyon: IARC Scientific Publication No. 88.Google Scholar
Nielsen, N. H., Mikkelsen, F., Hansen, J. P. (1977) Nasopharyngeal cancer in Greenland: The incidence in an arctic Eskimo population. Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica, ET Immunologica Scandinavica 85: 850–858.Google Scholar
Sham, J. S., Choy, D., Wei, W. I. (1990) Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: orderly neck node spread. International Journal of Radiation, Oncology, Biology, Physics 19(4): 929–933.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Simon, M. J., Shanmugaratnam, K. (1982) Epidemiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In The Biology of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. International Union Against Cancer. Geneva: UICC Technical Report Series, volume 71, pp 10–11.Google Scholar
Skinner, D. W., van Hasselt, C. A., Tsao, S. T. (1991) Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A study of the modes of presentation. Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology 100: 544–551.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Teo, P. (1991) Staging. In Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. 1st Edition. (van Hasselt, A. C., Gibb, A. G., eds.) The Chinese University Press, Hong Kong, pp 182–183.Google ScholarPubMed