Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-07T23:24:14.351Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma presenting as carotidynia in an 18-year-old patient

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2007

D Ellul*
Affiliation:
ENT Department, St. Luke's Hospital, Malta
J Cutajar
Affiliation:
ENT Department, St. Luke's Hospital, Malta
H Borg xuereb
Affiliation:
ENT Department, St. Luke's Hospital, Malta
M Said
Affiliation:
ENT Department, St. Luke's Hospital, Malta
*
Address for correspondence: Dr David Ellul, Department of Surgery, St. Luke's Hospital, Gwardamangia Hill, Gwardamangia, Malta. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Introduction:

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma can present with a variety of symptoms the most common being painless cervical lymph node metastases, epistaxis and conductive hearing loss.

Case report:

We report a case of an 18-year-old male patient presenting to the ENT department with left sided carotidynia – severe pain in the neck radiating up to his ear. He had a small, exquisitely tender lump just below the bifurcation of the left common carotid artery. After the appropriate investigations he was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Discussion:

In a literature search on Medline and Pubmed we found no reported cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma presenting with carotidynia, nor was carotidynia ever found to be associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Conclusion:

We believe that this is the first reported case of such a presentation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Type
Clinical Records
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2007

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

1 Kamal, MF, Samarrai, SM. Presentation and epidemiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Jordan. J Laryngol Otol 1999;113:422–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2 Skinner, DW, Van Hasselt, CA, Tsao, SY. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: modes of presentation. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1991;100:544–51CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3 Pak, MW, Chan, KL, Van Hasselt, CA. Retropharyngeal abscess. A rare presentation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. J Laryngol Otol 1999;113:70–2CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4 Grammatica, L, Achille, G, Piepoli, S, Paradiso, A. Early, late symptoms and histological type of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Oncol Rep 1999;6:1395–8Google ScholarPubMed
5 Indudharan, R, Valuyeetham, KA, Kannan, T, Sidek, DS. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: clinical trends. J Laryngol Otol 1997;111:724–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6 Skinner, DW, Van Hasselt, CA. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma. An analysis of 100 Chinese patients. S Afr J Surg 1990;28:92–4Google Scholar
7 Lim, LH, Goh, CH, Loong, SL, Khin, LW, Balakrishnan, A, Wee, J. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in young patients. Int J Clin Pract 2003;57:871–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8 Vilar, P. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A report on 24 patients seen over 6 years. Scott Med J 1966;11:315–18CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9 Hill, LM, Hastings, G. Carotidynia: A pain syndrome. J Fam Pract 1994;39:71–5Google ScholarPubMed
10 Roseman, DM. Carotidynia. A distinct syndrome. Arch Otol 1967;85:81–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11 Chiossone, E, Quiroga, ME. Carotidynia. J Laryngol Otol 1973;87:885–90CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12 Mehigan, JT, Olcott, C 4th. Carotodynia associated with carotid arterial disease and stroke. Am J Surg 1981;142:210–11CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13 Kawashima, M, Koike, R, Nishio, J, Nanki, T, Kohsaka, H, Kubota, T et al. A case of Takayasu's arteritis with ulcerative colitis diagnosed by carotidynia and MRI finding [in Japanese]. Nihon Rinsho Meneki Gakkai Kaishi 1999;22: 317–23CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14 Arteaga, VA, Farber, A, Wagner, WH, Lauterbach, SR, Cossman, DV, Cohen, LJ et al. Septic embolisation to the carotid bifurcation presenting as carotidynia. Ann Vasc Surg 2003;17:152–5CrossRefGoogle Scholar