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Bilateral synchronous tonsillar carcinoma in cervical cancer of unknown primary site (CUPS)

  • Oncology
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Abstract

In addition to panendoscopy and imaging for staging, ipsilateral tonsillectomy is a standard procedure in the search for the primary tumor in cervical cancer of unknown primary site (CUPS). It is not clear from the literature, whether bilateral tonsillectomy has been established as the standard procedure in cancer of unknown primary origin. A bilateral synchronous tonsillar carcinoma has thus far only been described three times in the literature. We report on a case of CUPS in which a bilateral tonsillar carcinoma was detected after bilateral tonsillectomy. We also discuss the inclusion of bilateral tonsillectomy as a standard procedure in the search for primary malignancies. To diagnose and adequately treat a bilateral synchronous tonsillar carcinoma without losing time, we recommend bilateral tonsillectomy as a standard procedure in cervical CUPS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Benjamin Franklin, Free University of Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200, Berlin, Germany

    Ilkay Kazak, Andreas Haisch & Sergije Jovanovic

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  1. Ilkay Kazak
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  2. Andreas Haisch
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  3. Sergije Jovanovic
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Correspondence to Ilkay Kazak.

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Kazak, I., Haisch, A. & Jovanovic, S. Bilateral synchronous tonsillar carcinoma in cervical cancer of unknown primary site (CUPS). Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 260, 490–493 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-003-0590-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-003-0590-2

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