Katano Atsuto, Sawayanagi Subaru, Yamashita Hideomi
Radiology, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, JPN.
Cureus. 2025 Mar 2;17(3):e79939. doi: 10.7759/cureus.79939. eCollection 2025 Mar.
Lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the head and neck is a rare malignant neoplasm, with primary involvement of the hypopharynx being exceptionally uncommon. While surgery remains the standard treatment, radiotherapy plays a crucial role, particularly for patients who are not surgical candidates. Recent advancements in radiotherapy, such as simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) intensity-modulated radiotherapy, have demonstrated promising outcomes with minimal invasiveness, making them a viable option, especially for elderly patients. This case report describes a 91-year-old female diagnosed with locally advanced lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the hypopharynx who was treated with radiotherapy using SIB intensity-modulated radiotherapy. The patient presented with dysphagia and was found to have a large hypopharyngeal mass with nodal metastasis. Biopsy and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the diagnosis of lymphoepithelial carcinoma. Given her age and comorbidities, a multidisciplinary team opted for radiotherapy instead of surgery. The prescribed dose was delivered using helical tomotherapy with two gradient doses of 30 gray (Gy) and 35 Gy in 10 fractions utilizing the SIB method. Acute toxicities were mild, and the patient completed the treatment without interruption. Post-treatment imaging revealed a remarkable response, which was sustained for over one year without disease progression.
头颈部淋巴上皮癌是一种罕见的恶性肿瘤,下咽原发性受累极为罕见。虽然手术仍然是标准治疗方法,但放疗起着关键作用,特别是对于不适合手术的患者。放疗的最新进展,如同步整合加量(SIB)调强放疗,已显示出具有微创性的良好疗效,使其成为一个可行的选择,尤其是对于老年患者。本病例报告描述了一名91岁女性,被诊断为局部晚期下咽淋巴上皮癌,接受了SIB调强放疗。患者出现吞咽困难,发现有一个巨大的下咽肿块并伴有淋巴结转移。活检和免疫组化分析确诊为淋巴上皮癌。鉴于她的年龄和合并症,多学科团队选择放疗而非手术。采用螺旋断层放疗,利用SIB方法分10次给予两个梯度剂量30格雷(Gy)和35 Gy。急性毒性反应轻微,患者未中断治疗完成了疗程。治疗后影像学检查显示有显著反应,且持续超过一年无疾病进展。