Multimodal management of solitary axillary lymph node metastasis from a recurrent nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature

IntroductionUndifferentiated Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (UNPC) exhibits the highest loco-regional cervical lymph node recurrence among head and neck epithelial malignancies. Axillary lymph node recurrence in NPC is uncommon.Case descriptionA 44-year-old male presented with two-month history of painles...

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Main Authors: Houyem Mansouri, Ines Zemni, Samia Ben Hssine, Sabrine Boukhris, Leila Achouri, Najet Mahjoub
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Oncology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1578547/full
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author Houyem Mansouri
Ines Zemni
Samia Ben Hssine
Sabrine Boukhris
Leila Achouri
Najet Mahjoub
author_facet Houyem Mansouri
Ines Zemni
Samia Ben Hssine
Sabrine Boukhris
Leila Achouri
Najet Mahjoub
author_sort Houyem Mansouri
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionUndifferentiated Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (UNPC) exhibits the highest loco-regional cervical lymph node recurrence among head and neck epithelial malignancies. Axillary lymph node recurrence in NPC is uncommon.Case descriptionA 44-year-old male presented with two-month history of painless swelling of the right axilla. He was diagnosed with stage IVB UNPC three years and eight months previously and had undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and concurrent chemo-radiotherapy. Biopsy of the axillary swelling revealed metastatic UNPC. The patient was treated with axillary lymph node dissection followed by chemotherapy, and right axillary radiotherapy. Currently, the patient has been disease free for 12 months.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the second reported case of UNPC with isolated axillary lymph node recurrence after remission, treated with axillary lymph node dissection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. This case highlights a rare pattern of metastasis and underscores the need for thorough investigations and imaging in the long-term follow-up of NPC.
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institution DOAJ
issn 2234-943X
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publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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series Frontiers in Oncology
spelling doaj-art-a32113d0f38041928de691237ac2cb152025-08-20T03:07:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2025-06-011510.3389/fonc.2025.15785471578547Multimodal management of solitary axillary lymph node metastasis from a recurrent nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma: a case report and review of the literatureHouyem Mansouri0Ines Zemni1Samia Ben Hssine2Sabrine Boukhris3Leila Achouri4Najet Mahjoub5Department of Surgical Oncology, Regional Hospital of Jendouba, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Jedouba, TunisiaDepartment of Surgical Oncology, Salah Azaiez Institute of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, TunisiaDepartment of Radiation Therapy, Regional Hospital of Jendouba, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Jedouba, TunisiaDepartment of Surgical Oncology, Regional Hospital of Jendouba, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Jedouba, TunisiaDepartment of Surgical Oncology, Regional Hospital of Jendouba, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Jedouba, TunisiaDepartment of Medical Oncology, Regional Hospital of Jendouba, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Jedouba, TunisiaIntroductionUndifferentiated Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (UNPC) exhibits the highest loco-regional cervical lymph node recurrence among head and neck epithelial malignancies. Axillary lymph node recurrence in NPC is uncommon.Case descriptionA 44-year-old male presented with two-month history of painless swelling of the right axilla. He was diagnosed with stage IVB UNPC three years and eight months previously and had undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and concurrent chemo-radiotherapy. Biopsy of the axillary swelling revealed metastatic UNPC. The patient was treated with axillary lymph node dissection followed by chemotherapy, and right axillary radiotherapy. Currently, the patient has been disease free for 12 months.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the second reported case of UNPC with isolated axillary lymph node recurrence after remission, treated with axillary lymph node dissection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. This case highlights a rare pattern of metastasis and underscores the need for thorough investigations and imaging in the long-term follow-up of NPC.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1578547/fullrecurrenceradiotherapychemotherapynasopharyngeal carcinomaaxillary lymph node metastasis
spellingShingle Houyem Mansouri
Ines Zemni
Samia Ben Hssine
Sabrine Boukhris
Leila Achouri
Najet Mahjoub
Multimodal management of solitary axillary lymph node metastasis from a recurrent nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature
Frontiers in Oncology
recurrence
radiotherapy
chemotherapy
nasopharyngeal carcinoma
axillary lymph node metastasis
title Multimodal management of solitary axillary lymph node metastasis from a recurrent nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature
title_full Multimodal management of solitary axillary lymph node metastasis from a recurrent nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature
title_fullStr Multimodal management of solitary axillary lymph node metastasis from a recurrent nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature
title_full_unstemmed Multimodal management of solitary axillary lymph node metastasis from a recurrent nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature
title_short Multimodal management of solitary axillary lymph node metastasis from a recurrent nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature
title_sort multimodal management of solitary axillary lymph node metastasis from a recurrent nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma a case report and review of the literature
topic recurrence
radiotherapy
chemotherapy
nasopharyngeal carcinoma
axillary lymph node metastasis
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1578547/full
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