Synchronous Nasopharyngeal and Thyroid Malignancies: A Case Report

This report presents a case of primary non-keratinizing, undifferentiated nasopharyngeal cancer and an oncocytic (Hurthle cell) thyroid carcinoma developing simultaneously. The patient was diagnosed in August 2022 with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. After the staging process and before starting treatment for the patient, he was diagnosed with oncocytic (Hurthle cell) thyroid carcinoma on October 2022. Synchronous primary head and neck malignancies are well-known in the medical field. However, this is a rare case of two primary tumors of mucosal and non-mucosal carcinomas, highlighting the importance of discussing head and neck malignant cases in the multidisciplinary team meeting and performing frequent imaging and endoscopic examination for suspicious cases, especially in elderly patients. This case report describes the cases, the management modalities, and the outcomes, informing clinicians of the importance of considering the possibility of multiple primary malignancies when evaluating patients with head and neck tumors and a better approach to this rare and challenging case to ensure successful management.