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Case report
Lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the larynx: an extremely rare tumour in a patient of Chinese descent
  1. Jiawei Alexander Yap1,
  2. Manish M Bundele2,
  3. Ming Yann Lim3 and
  4. Julian Park Nam Goh1
  1. 1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore
  2. 2Department of Pathology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore
  3. 3Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore
  1. Correspondence to Dr Jiawei Alexander Yap; alexyap{at}gmail.com

Abstract

Lymphoepithelial carcinoma (LEC) of the larynx is an extremely rare tumour which, unlike its nasopharyngeal counterpart, has shown a propensity to affect elderly Caucasian men and is not commonly associated with Epstein-Barr virus. We present a 70-year-old Chinese man who complained of hoarseness and dysphagia. Nasoendoscopy revealed a left supraglottic tumour. Preoperative MRI (in particular Diffusion Weighted Imaging) showed the possibility of two distinct components within a tumour. The patient underwent total pharyngolaryngectomy and bilateral selective neck dissection. The final histology report confirmed the presence of a tumour with two distinct components: predominant LEC with a smaller conventional (keratinising) squamous cell carcinoma component. The patient recovered well after surgery and subsequently underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. Final staging was pT3 N2c M0 (AJCC stage IVA). Follow-up over 2 years revealed no tumour recurrence.

  • head and neck cancer
  • radiology
  • head and neck surgery

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2021-245945

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors JAY is the lead author for this case report and was in charge of writing of the manuscript with inclusion of the relevant radiology images. MMB was the pathologist consulted for the manuscript, contributing pathological images of the final histological sample and pathological perspective. MYL was the performing surgeon in charge of the patient, contributing the intraoperative photo and surgical perspective. JPNG was the radiologist who interpreted the patient’s preoperative scan and was actively supervising JAY in the writing of the manuscript.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.