An unusual presentation of aggressive epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma of the nasal cavity with high-grade histology.

BACKGROUND: Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma is an uncommon, low-grade carcinoma that generally occurs in the salivary glands. A few cases of epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma arising in the nasal cavity have been reported. We describe a unique case of aggressive epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma in the nasal cavity. CASE REPORT: A 36-year-old woman presented with a mass in her left nasal cavity. Histopathological evaluation revealed it to be an epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma with overt nuclear atypia, frequent mitoses and necrosis. The tumour recurred in the contralateral nasal cavity 15 months following primary excision. Medial maxillectomy and radiation therapy were performed. Seven-month follow up revealed extensive bone metastases. CONCLUSION: We report a rare case of aggressive epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma in the nasal cavity, with high-grade histology.

Pathological validation of supracricoid partial laryngectomy in laryngeal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To validate pathologically whether supracricoid partial laryngectomy is an oncologically sound procedure in cases with invasion of the thyroid cartilage, paraglottic space, pre-epiglottic space, anterior commissure, or subglottis. DESIGN: A retrospective review of case notes was performed. SETTING: Patients treated at a single institute in the Republic of Korea. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-three patients who underwent supracricoid partial laryngectomy for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma between June 1994 and May 2005 who were followed for at least 2 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Local control and overall survival rates. Pathological invasion of the thyroid cartilage, anterior commissure, pre-epiglottic space, paraglottic space, or subglottis was also investigated as a cause of recurrence. Prognostic factors for local control and survival were evaluated with univariate and multivariate models. RESULTS: Invasion of the anterior commissure, paraglottic space, thyroid cartilage, pre-epiglottic space, or subglottis had no significant impact on the recurrence or overall survival rates. The presence of a positive resection margin was significantly associated with recurrence in the univariate and multivariate analyses (P = 0.026, 0.028, respectively). When considering the prognostic factors influencing survival, the univariate analysis showed that N stage, a positive resection margin and recurrence had significant influences on the overall survival rate (P = 0.010, 0.0004 and 0.000 respectively). In the multivariate analysis, only recurrence affected the survival rate (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Supracricoid partial laryngectomy can be used with oncological safety in selected cases of laryngeal cancer with invasion of the anterior commissure, thyroid cartilage, pre-epiglottic space, paraglottic space, or subglottis.