A Case of Synchronous Double Primary Cancer in the Nasopharynx and Nasal Cavity Related with Epstein-Barr Virus / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

Multiple primary malignant neoplasms indicate an occurrence of two or more malignancies in a patient, and double primary cancers are the most common type. When the second primary cancer occurs simultaneously or within 6 months after the first primary cancer is diagnosed, it is called synchronous carcinoma. If the second primary cancer occurs after 6 months, it is defined as metachronous carcinoma. Recently, we experienced a patient who was diagnosed as double primary cancer in the nasopharynx and nasal cavity. The tumors occurred simultaneously and histopathological examinations revealed nasopharyngeal nonkeratinizing carcinoma in the right nasopharynx and extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma in the left nasal cavity (inferior turbinate). In situ hybridization showed positivity for Epstein-Barr virus, which encoded early RNA in the neoplastic cells of both specimens. We present this rare disease entity with a review of the relevant literature and a survey of the clinical characteristics.