Squamous cell proliferative lesion of the nasopharynx in a newborn

Nasopharyngeal tumors in the newborn are exceedingly rare. Typically, initial symptoms are breathing or eating difficulties. A case is presented of a patient in whom bleeding began following diagnostic passage of nasopharyngeal catheters. Surgical excision was required on the third day of life, and histologic review revealed a squamous cell proliferative lesion consistent with squamous cell carcinoma. The infant's postoperative course was uneventful. Specimens from a nasopharyngeal biopsy done six weeks later revealed only reactive lymphoid hyperplasia and a 6 months of age, the child's condition was normal. After review of the available literature and this patient's pathologic condition, it is believed that this lesion represents an otherwise unclassifiable squamous cell proliferation previously not described.