Atypical Presentation of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) is a rare neoplasm which is associated with Epstein Barr Virus (EBV). We report a case of an 18 year-old African American male patient with no significant past medical history, presenting with a unilateral neck mass. Imaging and biopsy confirmed a neoplasm, diagnosed as nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Our case is remarkable as NPC is perhaps most common in China where annual incidence is 25 cases per 100,000 compared to the US, with an annual incidence of 0.5 cases per 100,000. Our patient is African American and had never been outside the country. Furthermore, he is young, while most cases of NPC happen in the elderly. While age and race were atypical, our patient was both a smoker and EBV positive. Finally, as a stage 2 NPC he received chemo radiotherapy and has thus far responded well.