Paranasal Sinus Neuroendocrine Carcinoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Neuroendocrine neoplasms are defined as epithelial neoplasms with predominant neuroendocrine differentiation. They can arise in almost every organ of the body although they are most commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system. Nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses are a rare site for neuroendocrine carcinoma. In contrast to the other regions, neuroendocrine tumours of the sinuses have been reported to be recurrent and locally destructive. Very few cases of paranasal sinus neuroendocrine carcinoma have been reported till date. Difficulty in pathologic diagnosis and rarity of this malignancy have hindered the progress in understanding the clinical course and improving outcomes. We herein report a case of poorly differentiated neuroendocrine tumour of ethmoid and sphenoid sinus with invasion of orbit and intracranial extension. The patient had complete response at the end of chemoradiation and he was disease-free for 9 months duration after which he developed bone metastasis without regional recurrence.

Diagnosis and treatment of a rare sinonasal neuroendocrine tumour: adding to the evidence

“…Fitzek et al 3 used the same chemotherapeutic regimen of cisplatin and etoposide followed by radiation, which demonstrated a 5-year survival rate of 74%. In light of these findings, the 35th Congress of French Cervico-Faciale Carcinologic Society developed a treatment protocol for NETs, which is described in figure 5 17…”

“…Several studies have shown good survival rates with initial resection of the tumour followed by postoperative chemotherapy 17. Additional studies have also shown that combined treatment with surgery is associated with better survival as compared to treatment without surgery 18–20…”

The Sphenoid Sinus

“…6 They rarely develop in the sinonasal area as a primary tumor. Although approximately 80 cases of small cell neuroendocrine carcinomas arising in the sinonasal areas have been reported in the literature, 7 there have been rare reports of typical carcinoid tumors arising in the sinonasal area.…”

“…5 When a tooth is impacted under thick alveolar bone with available space, the conventional treatment plan is surgical exposure followed by orthodontic traction with complete fixed appliance. 6,7 This protocol has disadvantages such as the complexity of the biomechanics, patient discomfort, and unwanted movement of the anchored teeth. In contrast, if traction is carried out against temporary skeletal anchorage devices (TSADs), traction is applied without any reciprocal reaction.…”

PRESENTATION OF AN UNCOMMON LESION IN THE NASAL CAVITY- NEUROENDOCRINE CARCINOMA Tushar Kanti Ghosh, Srijoy Gupta

“…One such lesion is the Neuroendocrine carcinoma. They are defined as epithelial neoplasms with predominant neuroendocrine differentiation 1 . Primary small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SNEC) of the nasal cavity and sinuses is an extremely' rare tumour and difficult to diagnose by conventional methods of histological examination 2 .…”