Squamous cell carcinoma of hypopharynx in a patient with history of celiac disease

Abstract

Celiac disease is a gluten-related malabsorption in small intestine occurring in genetically susceptible patients. In this disease the risk of many malignancies is increased the most important of which being non-Hodgkin lymphoma of small intestine. Other malignancies include adenocarcinoma of small intestine and squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus and melanoma. As to our knowledge so far only one case of celiac disease associated with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma has been reported. In this article we presented a patient suffering from celiac disease with squamous cell carcinoma of hypopharynx. She underwent chemotherapy and radiation therapy, unfortunately however she died because of progress of disease. So, in patients with celiac disease we should pay attention to various malignancies and when cases of cancers are accompanied by malabsorption we must think of celiac disease involvement.