An Autopsy Case of Hypopharyngeal Undifferentiated Carcinoma

Abstract

A 70-year-old man with dysphagia was reffered to our clinic for diagnosis and treatment. Indirect laryngoscopy revealed a large mass in the hypopharynx. Direct laryngoscopy demonstrated that the tumor arose in the right piriform sinus but the larynx was not involved.
Under light microscopy, the tumor was composed of clumps and cords of atypical large cells with clear nuclei. Many mitoses were seen. Electron microscopy showed small desmosomes between the tumor cells. This tumor was diagnosed as undifferentiated carcinoma from these histological findings.
Although his condition was well controlled by irradiation and chemotherapy for 2 years, he died of lung metastasis 28 months after the initial treatment. Autopsy revealed no evidence of hypopharyngeal carcinoma.