Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma with Extensive Nodular Skin Metastasis

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a squamous cell malignancy originating from the nasopharyngeal epithelium. This tumor is more commonly found originating from the fossa of Rosenmüller, which is a transitional epithelial area. NPC has a high risk of regional metastases on the neck lymphnodes. However, distant metastases at initial diagnosis occur in about 10% of NPC patients. Distant metastases commonly occur in the lung, skeletal bone, and liver, but skin metastases are rare. This case was presented as a case report of a patient with skin metastases in nasopharyngeal carcinoma who had a poor prognosis and distant skin metastases on an NPC patient that was misdiagnosed as a nonmalignant skin lesion. A 46-year-old male NPC patient initially diagnosed as T2N0M0 stage II (two) and received radiotherapy came with a skin lesion during treatment. The skin lesion was then proved as distant skin metastases. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with skin metastases is a rare condition with a poor prognosis, so early detection and proper diagnosis are the first steps towards good therapy.