Vol.99 No.1 contentsPRACTICA OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGICA
Vol. 99 No. 1 January 2006
Two Cases of Basaloid Squamous Cell
Carcinoma of the Head and Neck
Akiko Sakabe, Hideaki Suzuki, Tsuyoshi Udaka, Takashi Morio,
Toyoaki Ohbuchi, Teruo Shiomori, Takuro Kitamura and Naokimi Tokui
(University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine)
Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma is a rare and high-grade variant of squamous cell carcinoma. Here we report two cases of this tumor of the head and neck. The first case was a 71-year-old man who presented with an 8-month history of foreign body sensation in the throat. Physical examination and computed tomography demonstrated a tumor measuring 17 mm in diameter on the right lateral pharyngeal wall. He underwent tumor resection via lateral pharyngotomy followed by reconstruction with a sternocleidomastoid myocutaneous flap. The histopathological diagnosis was basaloid squamous cell carcinoma. Because he manifested recurrent aspiration pneumonia postoperatively, total laryngectomy was eventually performed. The second case was a 41-year-old man who complained of persistent oral pain. An ulcerated lesion measuring 10×5 mm was seen on the left buccal mucosa, and squamous cell carcinoma was suspected through biopsy. He underwent transoral resection, and the lesion was histopathologically diagnosed as basaloid squamous cell carcinoma. Both patients are currently free from disease about one and a half years after surgery. The pathology, clinical characteristics, and treatment of basaloid squamous cell carcinoma are bibliographically reviewed.
Key words : basaloid squamous cell carcinoma, head and neck, oropharynx, oral cavity