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Squamous carcinoma arising in a branchial cleft cyst: have you ever treated one? Will you?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 November 2007

K O Devaney ,
A Rinaldo ,
A Ferlito ,
C E Silver ,
J J Fagan ,
P J Bradley  and
C Suárez
K O Devaney
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Foote Hospital, Jackson, Michigan, USA
A Rinaldo
Affiliation:
Department of Surgical Sciences, ENT Clinic, University of Udine, Italy
A Ferlito*
Affiliation:
Department of Surgical Sciences, ENT Clinic, University of Udine, Italy
C E Silver
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery and Ololaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
J J Fagan
Affiliation:
Division of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
P J Bradley
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
C Suárez
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
*
Address for correspondence: Professor Alfio Ferlito, Director of the Department of Surgical Sciences, Professor and Chairman of the ENT Clinic, University of Udine, Policlinico Universitario, Piazzale S Maria della Misericordia, I-33100 Udine, Italy. Fax: +39 0432 559339 E-mail: a.ferlito@uniud.it
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Abstract

The existence of primary branchiogenic carcinoma – that is, carcinoma arising in a pre-existing branchial cleft cyst (a benign developmental cyst) – has in recent decades been the subject of increasing scepticism. Recognition of the propensity of a variety of head and neck sites – including in particular the tonsil – to give rise to cervical metastases while the primary tumours themselves remain undetected has given rise to the idea that virtually all cystic carcinomas of the neck represent metastatic deposits, whether or not their primary sites are found. A diagnosis of primary branchiogenic carcinoma should be viewed with extreme scepticism, and every effort should be made (e.g. imaging, panendoscopy, elective tonsillectomy) to exclude the existence of a primary site elsewhere, before considering a diagnosis of primary branchiogenic carcinoma.

Keywords

Branchiogenic CarcinomaBranchial Cleft CystSquamous Cell Carcinoma
Type
Review Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 122 , Issue 6 , June 2008 , pp. 547 - 550
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2007

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