A case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the nasopharynx

Salivary gland-Type neoplasms arising in the nasopharynx are rare, accounting for less than 2% of all nasopharyngeal neoplasms. Herein, we report a case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the nasopharynx, and along with a review of the literature, discuss the therapeutic strategies depending on the histological and radiological findings. The patient was a 78-year-old man. He had first noticed a mass on the left side of the neck 9 months earlier, which began to gradually increase in size. Clinical examination revealed a tumorous lesion in the left nasopharynx. Both nasopharyngeal and cervical biopsies revealed the diagnosis of MEC, so that the patient was diagnosed as having nasopharyngeal MEC (T1N2M0, stage III). After induction chemotherapy with docetaxel plus cisplatin and fluorouracil (TPF), endoscopic removal of the tumor was undertaken via the endonasal approach, with bilateral neck dissection. Furthermore, postoperative chemoradiotherapy was also administered. Until now, two years six months since the completion of treatment, the patient has shown no evidence of local recurrence or distant metastasis. Based on our experience, it seems that our treatment approach is one of the valid treatment options for nasopharyngeal MEC.