Undifferentiated carcinoma of nasopharyngeal type of tonsil

A review of 2262 squamous cell carcinomas of the tonsillar region seen at the Institut Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif, France, from 1970 to 1986 showed 1837 well- and poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinomas and 425 undifferentiated squamous cell carcinomas. Eighteen patients with undifferentiated squamous cell carcinomas presented histologic characteristics of undifferentiated carcinomas of nasopharyngeal type. Radiosensibility and radiocurability (complete sterilization with 70 Gy administered) was found in this group with an excellent long-term control of local disease (77% at 10 years actuarial). Epstein-Barr virus-related serologic tests were performed for seven patients. Four of them presented the serologic anti-Epstein-Barr virus titer patterns, generally associated with undifferentiated carcinomas of nasopharyngeal type (1280 to 5120 for viral capsid antigen/IgG and 40 to 320 for viral capsid antigen/IgA). These observations confirm that undifferentiated carcinomas of the nasopharyngeal type may arise outside the nasopharynx.