Sinonasal carcinoma (literature review and case report)

Background. Adenocystic carcinoma is a rare malignancy originating from the epithelium of seromucinous major and minor salivary glands. It occurs most frequently in people aged 50-60 years, with a male-to-female ratio (3:2). This tumor accounts for less than 2% of all tumors of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, but for 5-10% of all adenocarcinomas of the sinonasal region.
Case description. In this article, we are aiming to demonstrate the importance of cancer awareness of a physician and describe the clinical case of a patient who was seen by an otorhinolaryngologist for 2 years with the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, in fact being a patient with adenocarcinoma of nasopharyngeal localization.
Conclusion. Adenocystic carcinoma is a tumor requiring long-term follow-up due to frequent local recurrences, distant metastases, and aggressive perineural growth. Cancer awareness of patients with typical complaints such as nasal congestion and epistaxis, especially unilateral, is important to perform surgical treatment as early as possible and improve the patient’s prognosis.
Key words: adenocystic carcinoma, skull base surgery, craniofacial neurosurgery, endonasal endoscopic surgery, radiation therapy
Conflicts of interest. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding. There was no funding for this study