Advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a teenager presenting with neck abscess

 

Aifaa ABDUL MANAN 1, Irfan MOHAMAD 1, Zulkiflee SALAHUDDIN 2, Hashimah ISMAIL 2, Afiza Azura MD SOFI 2, Ali HARON 2

1 Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kelantan, Malaysia and 2 Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Kelantan, Malaysia.

 

ABSTRACT

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the second most common cancer in Malaysian man, after lung cancer. It commonly manifests with cervical lymphadenopathy, nasal symptoms, aural dysfunction, headache, diplopia, facial numbness, weight loss and trismus. We reported a rare case of a teenage male who presented with right neck abscess as the sole manifestation of advanced NPC. Failure to improve  along with development of other symptoms after adequate treatment for neck abscess led to a diagnosis of advanced NPC. This case illustrates a rare presentation of NPC.

 

Keywords: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, abscess, tumour, head and neck

 

Correspondence author: Aifaa ABDUL MANAN, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kota Bharu, Malaysia. Tel: 609-7676428

E mail: aifaamanan@yahoo.com

 

 Brunei Int Med J. 2014; 10 (1): 46-50

 

 

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