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A Case of Cystic Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis of HPV-positive Tonsil Cancer, Being Discriminated as the Branchiogenic Carcinoma

Authors:
  • Suita Municipal Hospital

Abstract and Figures

In recent years, human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal carcinomas have been increasing. The first manifestation of these tumors is frequently as cystic metastasis to cervical lymph nodes that may precede recognition of the primary tumor, so, they often result in misdiagnosis as branchial cleft cysts. We report a case of cystic cervical lymph node metastasis of HPV-positive tonsil cancer. The patient was a 70-years-old man who noticed a mass on his left neck. The tumor was large and soft, and it was diagnosed as benign in fine-needle aspiration cytology. We diagnosed the tumor as a branchial cleft cyst and undertook surgery. The histopathological diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma arising from a branchiogenic cyst. However, because it did not satisfy the diagnostic criteria, we diagnosed the tumor as an unknown primary tumor. One year later, left tonsil cancer was suspected based on PET-CT imaging and a left tonsillectomy was undertaken, whereafter tonsil cancer was found. In p16 immunostaining, it was positive in both cystic mass and tonsil. The cervical mass was cystic lymph node metastasis of HPV-positive tonsil cancer. It is important to investigate the oropharynx, when we found cystic cervical mass, because HPV-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma frequently results in cystic neck metastasis.
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はじめに
近年,HPV 陽性中咽頭癌は増加傾向にあり,その頸
部リンパ節転移は嚢胞性を呈することが多いとされてい
.微小原発巣にもかかわらず,大きく軟らかい嚢胞
性腫瘤を初発症状とするため側頸嚢胞と誤診されやす
い.さらに穿刺吸引細胞診(FNAC)では嚢胞成分中に
デブリや細胞破壊物が多く,腫瘍細胞を採取できないた
め偽陰性となる場合が多い
.これらの原因により,術
前に悪性と診断することが困難である.われわれは頸部
嚢胞性腫瘤を側頸嚢胞と診断し摘出術を施行したが,扁
平上皮癌であり当初鰓性癌と考えたが最終的に
HPV 陽性扁桃癌の嚢胞性頸部リンパ節転移であった症
例を経験したので報告する.
症例
症例は
歳代男性で主訴は頸部腫瘤であった.飲酒歴
はビール 350ml/日を
年(酒指数
)で,喫煙歴は
かった.1カ月前に左頸部腫瘤に気付き,近医内科を受
診,その後増大傾向を認めたため当科に紹介受診した.
左胸鎖乳突筋前縁で中内深頸リンパ節の高さに相当す
る部位に,径 35mm,弾性軟,可動性良好の腫瘤を触知
した.咽喉頭内視鏡で上咽頭,扁桃,舌根,喉頭,下咽
頭に異常は認めなかった.MRI では T2 強調画像で高信
号の嚢胞性腫瘤を認めた(図1a)頸部超音波では内
部均一で低エコーの腫瘤を認め(図1b)穿刺吸引す
ると,微量のデブリを含む淡黄色透明液を認めた.同液
の遠心分離後の細胞診では悪性所見を認めず,赤血球,
細胞破砕物,組織球,好中球,リンパ球などを認めた.
以上より第2鰓弓由来の側頸嚢胞と考え,経過観察とな
った.初診より2カ月後,腫瘤が径 40mm 増大した
ため,全身麻酔下,左頸部嚢胞摘出術を施行した.腫瘤
は表面平滑で軟らかく,容易に剥離,摘出された.その
際,索状物は認めなかった(図2a).肉眼的に嚢胞内
腔の多くは平滑であるが,一部に小結節状の隆起病変を
認めた(図2b).病理診断は低分化型扁平上皮癌であ
った.嚢胞壁の被覆上皮はすべて N/C 比の高い腫瘍細
胞から構成され,間質にはリンパ球浸潤が高度に認めら
れたが,リンパ節構造の名残は認めなかった(図3a)
肉眼的に隆起した部分はその乳頭状腫瘍増殖病変であり
(図3b),分化度は低く(図3c),変性と角化が合わ
さったような病変を認めた(図3d).鰓性癌を疑った
が,正常の扁平上皮層が存在せず,その厳密な診断基準
を満たすものではなかった.そのため原発不明頸部リン
パ節転移を第一に考え,咽喉頭内視鏡,上部消化管内視
鏡,造影 CTPET
CT を施行したが原発巣を特定する
ことができなかった.その後厳重に経過観察していたと
ころ,年後に施行した PET
CT で左扁桃に集積を認
めたため(図4a),左扁桃癌を疑い,左扁桃摘出術を
神原 留美
玉井 正光
堀井 新**
市立吹田市民病院耳鼻咽喉科
市立吹田市民病院病理診断科
**新潟大学大学院
医歯学総合研究科
耳鼻咽喉科・頭頸部外科学分野
日耳鼻
:
鰓性癌との鑑別を要した HPV 陽性扁桃癌の
嚢胞性頸部リンパ節転移症例
human papillomavirusHPV)陽性中咽頭癌は,嚢胞性リンパ節転移を初発症
状とする場合があり,側頸嚢胞との鑑別が問題となる.症例は
歳代男性で,側
頸嚢胞と考え摘出術を施行したところ扁平上皮癌であった.当初鰓性癌と考えた
が,1年後の PET
CT で扁桃に集積を認め,摘出術を施行した.嚢胞性腫瘤お
よび扁桃の p16 免疫染色を行ったところ,共に陽性であり HPV 陽性扁桃癌の嚢
胞性リンパ節転移と診断した.嚢胞性腫瘤が扁平上皮癌と判明した時点で p16
免疫染色を施行していれば,原発巣を早く特定し得た可能性が高い.頸部の嚢胞
性腫瘤は安易に良性と診断せず,病理診断では p16 免疫染色も併用し,HPV
性中咽頭癌の嚢胞性リンパ節転移も念頭に置く必要がある.
キーワード :嚢胞性リンパ節転移,human papillomavirus,中咽頭癌,
鰓性癌,側頸嚢胞
症例報告
119118 2016
施行した.扁桃は視,触診上,異常を認めなかったが
(図4b),病理学的に扁桃陰窩に低分化型扁平上皮癌の
微小病巣(7mm)を認めた(図5a).よって,摘出し
た頸部嚢胞は,扁桃癌の嚢胞性頸部リンパ節転移である
と考えた.p16 免疫染色を施行したところ,前回摘出し
た嚢胞性リンパ節,扁桃は共に陽性であった(図5b,
6b).その後,放射線治療(60Gyを施行し,患者は
扁桃摘出術後3年の現在,再発なく経過している.
考察
近年,嚢胞性リンパ節転移を呈する扁桃・舌根扁桃原
発の HPV 陽性中咽頭癌の報告が増えてきている
.従来
の飲酒,喫煙が原因とされるものと比べ若年で,ハイリ
スクな性習慣を持つものに多く,化学放射線治療によく
反応し予後も良い
Waldeyer 咽頭輪の陰窩深部の基
底細胞への HPV 感染が起源であるため,病変は小さく
表層上皮へは進展せず,表層からの観察では同定困難で
ある
.一方,転移リンパ節は嚢胞性で大きく,初発症
状となるため,原発不明癌あるいは側頸嚢胞と誤って診
断される場合も多い
本症例も MRI・エコーで嚢胞性腫瘤であったこと
および FNAC で陰性であったことから,当初は側頸嚢
胞と考えた.頸部超音波では内部均一な低エコーで充実
部は認めなかったが(図1b)MRI では T2 で嚢胞内
1術前画像所見
a.MRI T2 : 嚢胞壁内側に壁在結節を認めた(矢印)
b.頸部超音波 :低エコーの嚢胞を疑う腫瘤を認めた.
2a.摘出した嚢胞性腫瘤
b.aの割面.結節状の隆起病変を認めた(矢印)
日耳鼻 神原・他=嚢胞性頸部リンパ節転移 119119
に小さな結節を認めた(図1a)Branstetter
は側
頸嚢胞と同じ鰓性組織から発症する甲状舌管嚢胞癌6例
CT 画像を検討し,4例に壁在結節を認め,悪性を疑
うべき所見であると報告している.嚢胞性病変では壁在
結節の有無にも注意して画像を評価する必要がある.
FNAC は充実性のリンパ節では偽陰性や偽陽性がほと
んどなく有用であるが,嚢胞性疾患では正診性に欠け,
偽陰性の頻度は,Gourin らは
と報告している.嚢
3嚢胞性腫瘤の組織学的所見 :HE染色
a.嚢胞壁の上皮はすべて腫瘍細胞から構成され,右半分では浸潤している.間質
はリンパ球の高度な浸潤を示す(
倍)
b.結節状隆起部は乳頭状の腫瘍増殖を認めた(
倍)
c.bの強拡大.腫瘍細胞の分化は低いが,部分的に紡錘形もしくは扁平上皮様の
細胞になっている(
倍)
d.一部では変性と角化が合わさったような像を認める(
倍)
4a.PET
CT : 左扁桃に集積を認めた.
b.左扁桃 :視触診上異常を認めなかった.
119120 2016神原・他=嚢胞性頸部リンパ節転移
胞性転移リンパ節で偽陰性率が高くなる理由として,充
実性病変では穿刺吸引細胞量が多いが,嚢胞性病変は変
性していない腫瘍細胞が嚢胞液中に少なく,一方では良
性を示唆する炎症細胞が大量にみられることが挙げられ
.また,嚢胞性転移の初期では表層の悪性上皮細胞
が落屑しないことも示唆されている
.そのため FNAC
を繰り返し施行すること,エコー下で充実部を穿刺する
こと,遠心分離後の沈殿物を注意深く観察することが勧
められている.
このように嚢胞性リンパ節転移は良性嚢胞と区別する
ことが画像や FNAC では難しい.Gourin
は孤立性
頸部嚢胞と診断した
例を検討した結果,病理学的に
悪性であったのは
例(
%)ですべて扁平上皮癌で
あり,原発は舌根が4例(2例 :中分化型,2例 :低分
化型),扁桃が1例(中∼低分化型),鼻咽頭が1例(中
分化型)原発不明が6例(4例 :低分化型,1例 :
分化型,1例 :高分化型)で,低∼中分化型が多かった
と報告している.HPV 陽性嚢胞性頸部リンパ節転移に
は低分型が多いという病理学的特徴
があることより,
これらの中にも HPV 陽性の嚢胞性リンパ節転移例が存
在していた可能性が考えられる.
また,水町らも頸部腫瘤摘出・生検後に中咽頭癌と診
断された
例(扁桃6例 ;うち HPV 性5例,舌根5
;うち HPV 陽性3例)について報告している
潜在性甲状腺乳頭癌も嚢胞性リンパ節転移を呈するこ
とがあり,FNAC で偽陰性を呈しやすいため注意を要す
5扁桃陰窩の扁平上皮癌
a.HE 染色(
倍):左扁桃陰窩に扁平上皮癌を認めた.
b.p16 免疫染色(
倍):腫瘍細胞はびまん性に強陽性である.
6嚢胞性リンパ節(ルーペ像)
a.HE 染色
b.p16 免疫染色 :嚢胞壁被覆上皮,乳頭状増殖部位ともに全周性に陽性を示した.
日耳鼻 神原・他=嚢胞性頸部リンパ節転移 119121
る.鑑別にはエコーで甲状腺に腫瘍がないか詳細に観察
することまた嚢胞穿刺液中のサイログロブリン
FNA
Tg)を測定することが有用である.甲状腺乳頭
癌の転移例では異常高値を示し,側頸嚢胞では感度以下
であるため,両者の鑑別に有用である
鰓性癌は,胎生期の鰓性組織の遺残である鰓溝,類洞
などから癌化すると考えられており
年に Volk-
mann
により側頸嚢胞から生じた鰓性癌が疾患として
最初に報告された.以来多数の報告がなされたが,その
存在自体を疑問視する報告が相次いでいる
Martin
は鰓性癌と報告されている例の多くは原発不明
癌のリンパ節転移であり,これらを区別するために診断
基準を提唱し,
年,Khafif
がその基準を見直した
(表1).最も重要な点は
の「組織学的に,嚢胞壁の被
覆上皮が正常の扁平上皮から異形成上皮,さらに上皮内
癌から浸潤癌への移行を確認できること」
であり,今
日ではその良性から悪性への移行像の有無が組織学的鑑
別点となっている.本症例では,病理組織学的に,嚢胞
性腫瘤の乳頭状増殖部位から最も菲薄な部分まで全周性
にすべて上皮が悪性であり,正常あるいは異形成上皮は
認められなかったことを確認した(図3a).進行した
鰓性癌では嚢胞壁の被覆上皮が完全に扁平上皮癌に置換
され,段階的組織学的変化が認められず,鰓性癌の診断
を困難にしているとの指摘もある.本症例では病理医と
検討した結果,原発不明頸部リンパ節転移と考え,PET
CT を含め原発巣を検索したが判明しなかった.しかし
術後1年の PET/CT で左扁桃癌が明らかになり,鰓性
癌は否定された.
本例のように鰓性癌と診断したが,原発不明癌の
頸部リンパ節転移であったとの報告も散見される
Thompson
例の嚢胞性扁平上皮癌のうち鰓性
癌は存在せず,原発巣は,
%は舌根または口蓋扁桃で
あり,原発巣が判明しなかったのは
%であったと述べ
ている.鰓性癌と診断されていた過去の報告例は HPV
陽性中咽頭癌,特に扁桃,舌根の扁平上皮癌の嚢胞性頸
部リンパ節転移であったと考えるのが妥当である.
HPV 陽性嚢胞性リンパ節転移は,低分化であり
部分が非角化であるが突然角化する部位を認めるという
特徴のある病理組織像を示す
.また嚢胞内へ上皮が乳
頭状に増殖する傾向があると報告されている
.本症
例の摘出嚢胞はこれら特徴的な病理組織像を示した
(図3b
d).陰窩の微小癌であることも特徴である.
そのため一般的に原発不明癌の原発巣精査を目的として
行われる視診・触診,咽喉頭内視鏡,上部消化管内視鏡
を施行しても原発巣を特定できず盲目的生検ran-
dom mucosal biopsy)を施行しても特定は困難であった
と思われる.また PET
CT は嚢胞摘出直後には原発を
同定することができず,初期には有用性は低いと考え
る.水町らの報告でも摘出術前後に PET
CT を施行し
た7例において,原発巣が特定できたのは2例のみであ
った
.また猪原も上記の種々の検査にもかかわらず原
発巣が判明しないリンパ節転移において,PET
CT によ
る原発巣の検出率は低く,有用性は高くないと述べてい
.このことより,画像のみで経過観察すべきではな
く,嚢胞性腫瘤を摘出した時点で p16 染色を行うべき
であると考えられる.陽性の場合は中咽頭癌を強く疑
い,扁桃摘出術を施行し,多分割連続切片での微小癌に
対する詳細な検討が必要である.両側の HPV 陽性扁桃
癌の報告もあり両側の扁桃摘出術を勧める報告もある
本症例の治療について,嚢胞性転移リンパ節を摘出後
1年で原発巣を摘出し,その後放射線照射を行った.原
発巣が完全切除された時点で新たなリンパ節転移も認め
なかったが,HPV 陽性中咽頭癌は進行が緩慢であると
されている
.そのため潜在的なリンパ節転移がある
可能性,初回手術時に頸部郭清術を施行していなかった
こと,また局所制御されていても遠隔転移例が報告され
ているため
,本症例では術後照射を施行した.
HPV の検出方法は病理検体と細胞診標本との両方で
研究されている.病理検体による方法は,p16 免疫染
色,HPV
DNA polymerase chain reactionPCR)や in
situ hybridizationISH)によるものがある
p16 免疫染
色は感度が高く,安価であり,諸施設で代用マーカーと
して用いられている.
細胞診標本による評価はまだ確立されていない
安井ら
は嚢胞性リンパ節を吸引した内容液の PCR
用いて HPV
DNA を証明できることを示した.これに
より初発症状であるリンパ節の FNA 検体で HPV が陽
性であれば,中咽頭癌の嚢胞性リンパ節転移を考え,扁
桃や舌根を中心に視診や画像検査により原発巣を検索す
ることができる.それでも原発巣が不明であれば扁桃摘
出術や舌根生検が推奨される.しかし細胞診検体による
HPV 検査は,実地臨床ではいまだ一般的ではなく
1Khafif の鰓性癌の診断基準
)耳珠と胸鎖乳突筋を結ぶ線の前方に腫瘍が存在
する.
)組織学的に鰓性組織と同一起源である.
)上皮に覆われた嚢胞より癌が発生している.
)嚢胞壁に正常上皮から浸潤性の扁平上皮癌まで
の過程を組織学的に確認できる.
)徹底的な精査の上,原発巣がみつからない.
119122 2016神原・他=嚢胞性頸部リンパ節転移
後諸施設で可能になることが期待される.
まとめ
当初,側頸嚢胞と考え摘出術を施行したが,扁平上皮
癌であり,鰓性癌と考えたがその診断基準を満たさず,
最終的に HPV 陽性扁桃癌の嚢胞性頸部リンパ節転移で
あった症例を経験した.摘出した嚢胞性リンパ節,扁桃
は共に p16 免疫染色陽性であり,HPV 性扁桃癌の嚢
胞性リンパ節転移と考えた.HPV 陽性の中咽頭癌は原
発巣に先立って嚢胞性転移リンパ節が出現することが多
いため,頸部の嚢胞性腫瘤は良性と容易に考えず,HPV
陽性中咽頭癌の嚢胞性リンパ節転移の可能性も念頭に置
いて精査する必要がある.嚢胞性腫瘤の鑑別診断には
p16 免疫染色が有用であると考えられた.
文献
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)水町貴諭,加納里志,本間明宏,:中咽頭癌症例にお
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;
:
.
)稲垣洋三,坂本耕二,井上泰宏,:甲状腺乳頭癌嚢胞
性頸部リンパ節転移の鑑別診断―穿刺液中サイログロブ
リン測定の有用性―.日耳鼻
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:
.
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)猪原秀典 :頭頸部癌の臨床における FDG
PET の有用
.耳鼻臨床
;
:
.
)水町貴諭,加納里志,坂下智博,:頸部腫瘤摘出・生
検後に中咽頭癌と診断された症例の検討.日耳鼻
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著者らは申告すべき利益相反を有しない.
年7月
日受稿
月6日受理)
連絡先 〒
吹田市片山町2
市立吹田市民病院耳鼻咽喉科 神原留美
A Case of Cystic Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis of HPV
positive Tonsil Cancer,
Being Discriminated as the Branchiogenic Carcinoma
Rumi Kambara, M.D., Masamitsu Tamai, M.D.and Arata Horii, M.D.**
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Suita Municipal Hospital, Suita
Department of Pathology, Suita Municipal Hospital, Suita
**Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Niigata University
Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
In recent years, human papillomavirusHPV
positive oropharyngeal carcinomas have been increasing. The first
manifestation of these tumors is frequently as cystic metastasis to cervical lymph nodes that may precede recognition of
the primary tumor, so, they often result in misdiagnosis as branchial cleft cysts. We report a case of cystic cervical
lymph node metastasis of HPV
positive tonsil cancer. The patient was a 70
years
old man who noticed a mass on his
日耳鼻 神原・他=嚢胞性頸部リンパ節転移 119123
left neck. The tumor was large and soft, and it was diagnosed as benign in fine
needle aspiration cytology. We diag-
nosed the tumor as a branchial cleft cyst and undertook surgery. The histopathological diagnosis was squamous cell car-
cinoma arising from a branchiogenic cyst. However, because it did not satisfy the diagnostic criteria, we diagnosed the
tumor as an unknown primary tumor. One year later, left tonsil cancer was suspected based on PET
CT imaging and a
left tonsillectomy was undertaken, whereafter tonsil cancer was found. In p16 immunostaining, it was positive in both
cystic mass and tonsil. The cervical mass was cystic lymph node metastasis of HPV
positive tonsil cancer. It is impor-
tant to investigate the oropharynx, when we found cystic cervical mass, because HPV
positive oropharyngeal carcinoma
frequently results in cystic neck metastasis.
Keywords : cystic lymph node metastasis, human papillomavirus, oropharyngeal carcinoma, branchiogenic carcinoma,
branchial cleft cyst
Nippon Jibiinkoka Gakkai KaihoTokyo119 : 118
124, 2016
119124 2016神原・他=嚢胞性頸部リンパ節転移
... 6,7,9 Since our patient was negative to HPV and EBV and no oro-rino-pharyngeal lesions were detected, these procedures were not performed in accordance to other Authors' opinion. [10][11][12] Yehuda et al. 13 found that 3-24% of lateral cystic masses of the neck region are associated with malignant neoplasms, but this percentage increase up to 80% in patients older than 40 years. Most of them are represented by metastatic lymphadenopathies of primary tumors of other head and neck region 4,13 but PBC should be suspected until proven otherwise. ...
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Background Primary branchiogenic carcinoma (PBC) is an extremely rare and poorly documented disease developed from a brachial cleft cyst. Case A 51‐year‐old patient was referred to our unit for an upper neck mass. PBC was confirmed in accordance with Kahfif's diagnostic criteria. Prophylactic selective neck dissection was performed in a second‐stage surgery to ensure the complete removal of the neoplasm. Branchiogenic origin with lymphoid tissue was confirmed in the “host cyst” after histological examination and no other tumors were found elsewhere. Regular follow up documented no relapse 12 months after surgery. Conclusions Although rare, PBC must be suspected in presence of cervical masses, especially in patients older than 40 years. A standardized treatment algorithm still lacks, but prophylactic selective neck dissection could be considered as the first line choice after the diagnosis has been confirmed.
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While branchial cleft cysts are often considered benign pathologies, the literature discusses cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising from these cystic lesions as either a primary or metastatic tumor. We illustrate our institutional experience and review the current literature to identify recommendations for best diagnostic, surveillance, and treatment guidelines for SCC identified in a branchial cleft cyst. A 61-year-old male presented with a right sided neck mass, with suspicion of a branchial cleft cyst due to benign findings on fine needle aspiration. Following surgical excision, a focus of SCC was found on surgical pathology. Despite PET/CT and flexible laryngoscopy, no primary tumor was identified prompting routine surveillance every 3 months with cervical ultrasonography and flexible nasolaryngoscopy. Two and a half years following his initial presentation, pathologic right level II lymphadenopathy was detected on ultrasound without evidence of primary tumor. Subsequent transoral robotic surgery with right tonsillectomy and partial pharyngectomy, with right lateral neck dissection revealed a diagnosis of pT1N1 HPV-HNSCC and he was referred for adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation. To our knowledge there are less than 10 cases of confirmed HPV-associated oropharyngeal SCC arising from a branchial cleft cyst. Here we demonstrate the utility of ultrasound as a surveillance tool and emphasize a higher index of suspicion for carcinoma in adult patients with cystic neck masses.
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Purpose This is first Australian population‐based retrospective study in HPV‐induced OPSCCs utilising CT. Contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) was utilised to assess if imaging findings of metastatic cystic lymph nodes (LNs) can predict human papillomavirus (HPV) status, as defined by p16 immunostaining of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs). Materials and Methods The location and p16 status of primary tumours and LNs were recorded. Metastatic LNs were assessed for size, shape, margins and cystic changes. Hounsfield Units (HU) value of primary tumours and LNs were measured and tabulated. p16‐positive and p16‐negative groups were compared with respect to these variables. The two‐sample t test and two‐sample Mann–Whitney test was used. Results A total of 364 CECT scans were reviewed with 209 patients (187 p16 positive and 22 p16 negative). Primary sites of OPSCCs were tonsils (58.8%), base of tongue (37.4%) and other oropharyngeal sites (3.8%). The HU values of p16‐positive OPSCCs with mean of 78.6HU; 95% CI (76.5–80.8) were lower for p16‐negative tumours, mean 96.0 HU CI 95% (85.5–106.6) for all oropharyngeal sub‐sites. The mean HU values of p16‐positive and p16‐negative metastatic LNs were 38.8 HU 95% CI: (13–103 HU) versus 88.7 HU 95% CI: (54–131) (P < 0.0001). Conclusions The association between p16‐positive status and the tonsillar cancer site is very high. Imaging features of p16‐positive metastatic LNs include relatively large cystic neck nodes with low HU values. This is an imaging signature of p16‐positive OPSCCs and can potentially influence patient’s early diagnosis and prognosis.
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Article
Predominantly cystic squamous cell carcinomas in the neck often present without a clinically apparent primary and therefore are frequently considered to be of branchial cleft origin. It is the authors' hypothesis that the anatomic site of the primary carcinoma that produced the neck metastasis can often be predicted on the basis of the histologic features. Cases of cystic squamous cell carcinoma in the neck diagnosed between 1971 and 1991 were retrieved from the Otorhinolaryngic Pathology Registry of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Histologic features were reviewed and patient follow-up was obtained and analyzed. In cases wherein the primary site was discovered subsequently, 64% of the primaries were in the lingual or faucial tonsil. An additional 8% of cases were in nasopharyngeal tonsillar tissue. The cases that did not originate in Waldeyer's tonsillar ring generally differed in histologic appearance from the tonsillar cases. The tonsillar primaries were discovered within an average of 12.4 months, but many were not discovered for years (up to 11 years). Most were small, indicating a slower growth of the primary than is usually expected for squamous cell carcinoma. Patients with such carcinomas had a much better prognosis than patients with metastatic squamous cell carcinomas of other upper airway mucosal sites. In most cases of prominently cystic squamous cell carcinomas in the upper neck, the origin of the primary site will be in faucial or lingual tonsillar crypt epithelium. Knowledge of the probable site of origin allows for more tailored therapy in which the patients can be treated relatively conservatively with surgical excision and subsequent field-limited radiation therapy only, with 77% survival at 5 years. None of the cases reviewed in this study was a branchiogenic carcinoma.