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A Parapharyngeal Soft Tissue Chordoma Presenting with Synchronous Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis: An Unusual Presentation

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Abstract

A 63 year old male presented with a three month history of dysphagia, neck swelling and an oropharyngeal swelling on examination. Initial fine needle aspiration cytology and magnetic resonance imaging (done at a peripheral hospital) suggested a salivary gland neoplasm with lymph node metastasis. An infra-temporal approach was employed to excise the tumour mass and a modified radical neck dissection undertaken to remove the cervical metastasis. Histopathological examination with immunohistochemistry confirmed this to be a soft tissue chordoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented report of an extra-axial soft tissue chordoma presenting with synchronous metastatic disease. Though rare, this adds to the list of differential diagnoses for complex parapharyngeal lesions. A multidisciplinary approach between head and neck surgery, histopathology, radiology and sarcoma teams is paramount for arriving at the correct diagnosis and to deliver optimal treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, 19 Claremont Crescent, Sheffield, S10 2TA, UK

    S. A. Khurram

  2. Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK

    D. Biswas

  3. Department of Histopathology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK

    M. Fernando

Authors
  1. S. A. Khurram
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  2. D. Biswas
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  3. M. Fernando
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Correspondence to S. A. Khurram.

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Khurram, S.A., Biswas, D. & Fernando, M. A Parapharyngeal Soft Tissue Chordoma Presenting with Synchronous Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis: An Unusual Presentation. Head and Neck Pathol 10, 400–404 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-016-0712-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-016-0712-y

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