Lymphoepithelial carcinoma: two case reports and a systematic review of oral and sinonasal cases

Head Neck Pathol. 2011 Dec;5(4):327-34. doi: 10.1007/s12105-011-0278-7. Epub 2011 Jun 23.

Abstract

Lymphoepithelial carcinoma (LEC) is a rare malignancy. Histologically, it is an undifferentiated carcinoma with an intermixed reactive lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate. Herein, we report two cases of LEC in the head and neck region that presented to Oulu University Hospital. Our first case is a 30-year-old man with LEC in the left maxillary sinus. The second case is a 49-year-old man with LEC in the soft palate and uvula with regional lymph node metastases at diagnosis. In addition, a systematic review of the literature from 1980 to 2010 was performed with MEDLINE and cross-references were searched manually. Case reports and clinical series of oral, oropharyngeal, nasal, and paranasal sinus LECs were reviewed revealing a total of 110 cases. Most of the oral cases were found in the tonsils (n = 29), oropharynx (n = 19), and in oral mucosa (n = 18), while sinonasal cases (n = 40) were mainly in the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity. From 37 case reports, including ours, the median age was 58 and 62 years for sinonasal and oral/oropharyngeal LECs, respectively. Oral and oropharyngeal LECs have a 70.0% tendency to metastasize and 16.6% spread locally. In contrast, none of the nasal and paranasal LECs metastasized, but 60% spread locally. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) had been detected in 87.5% of all tested LEC cases. Treatment of LECs, during the last decade, has largely consisted of surgery, combined with radiotherapy or chemoradiation. Although local spread or nodal metastases are fairly common at the time of diagnosis, the mortality rate of adequately treated LEC patients is low.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / diagnosis*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / therapy
  • Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Electrocoagulation
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / therapy
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Maxillary Sinus / pathology
  • Maxillary Sinus Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Maxillary Sinus Neoplasms / therapy
  • Middle Aged
  • Mouth Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Mouth Neoplasms / therapy
  • Palate, Soft / pathology
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Uvula / pathology