抄録
A neck mass is one of the most common complaints. General physicians and general surgeons often examine patients complaining of a neck mass; however, they tend to ignore the possibility of metastasis of the head and neck cancer. We report on two patients with oropharyngeal cancer who complained of only a neck mass, and we show how to diagnose a neck mass effectively. Patient 1 was a 71-year-old woman with advanced oropharyngeal cancer who had complained of a neck mass for 6 months. Although primary oropharyngeal tumor can be diagnosed easily by examining the oropharynx, the mass was misdiagnosed. After a correct diagnosis was made, neck dissection was performed, and this was followed by chemoradiotherapy. Patient 2 was a 48-year-old man with advanced oropharyngeal cancer. The neck mass was thought to be caused by a malignancy, but no primary lesion was detected with computed tomography, magnetic resonance,or endoscopic examination of the esophagus. However, the correct diagnosis was made after the oropharynx was examined. This patient was then successfully treated with en-bloc resection.The most important point for general physicians when examining patients with a neck mass is to consider the possibility of metastasis of the head and neck cancers.
