Biphasic low-grade nasopharyngeal papillary adenocarcinoma: a case report and literature review

BACKGROUND: Low-grade nasopharyngeal papillary adenocarcinoma (LGNPPA) is distinctly rare. We report a patient with a uniquely biphasic LGNPPA; additionally, we review similar tumors reported in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A 56-year-old man presented with an asymptomatic pedunculated tumor in the vault of the nasopharynx, at the junction of the nasal septum and the roof, which was discovered during screening for laryngeal cancer. To obtain a definitive diagnosis, the patient underwent endoscopic endonasal surgery under general anesthesia. Immunohistochemical analysis of the tumor revealed it to be an LGNPPA with a prominent spindle cell component. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the fourth reported LGNPPA exhibiting a spindle cell component and the second with a prominent pathological condition. The prognosis of LGNPPA is usually excellent. Therefore, it is important for clinicians to scrutinize the lesion’s pathology to avoid unnecessary, disfiguring surgery.