Nasopharyngeal Adenocystic Carcinoma

Epidemiology

In comparison with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), adenocystic carcinoma in the nasopharynx is rare. The vast majority of adenocystic carcinomas are found in the salivary glands, the mucosa of the oral cavity, the nasal fossa, and the paranasal sinuses. Lesions in the nasopharynx may arise from minor salivary gland rests in the hard palate or nasal cavity. This tumor affects patients in the their middle age and there is no reported sex predilection.

Clinical Findings

Adenocystic carcinoma of the nasopharynx usually presents with nasal symptoms such as epistaxis, nasal stuffiness, obstruction, or discharge. Unlike nasopharyngeal carcinoma, patients rarely present with cervical lymphadenopathy.