Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T22:44:59.176Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

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: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

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

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Benson, MT, Dalen, K, Mancuso, AA, Kerr, HH, Cacciarelli, AA, Mafee, MF. Congenital anomalies of the branchial apparatus: embryology and pathologic anatomy. Radiographics 1992;12:943–60CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2 Golledge, J, Ellis, H. The aetiology of lateral cervical (branchial) cysts: past and present theories. J Laryngol Otol 1994;108:653–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3 Koeller, KK, Alamo, L, Adair, CF, Smirniotopoulos, JG. Congenital cystic masses of the neck: radiologic-pathologic correlation. Radiographics 1999;19:121–46CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4 von Volkmann, R. The deep branchiogenic carcinoma of the neck. [in German]. Zentralbl Chir 1882;9:49–51Google Scholar
5 Warner, F. Branchiogenic carcinoma. Ann Surg 1916;64:1–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6 Crile, G, Kearns, JE. Branchial carcinoma. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1935;60:703–9Google Scholar
7 Martin, H, Morfit, HM. Cervical lymph node metastasis as the first symptom of cancer. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1944;78:133–59Google Scholar
8 Martin, H, Morfit, HM, Ehrlich, H. The case for branchiogenic cancer (malignant branchioma). Ann Surg 1950;132:867–87Google ScholarPubMed
9 Micheau, C, Klijanienko, J, Luboinski, B, Richard, J. So-called branchiogenic carcinoma is actually cystic metastases in the neck from a tonsillar primary. Laryngoscope 1990;100:878–83CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10 Soh, LBK. Branchiogenic carcinomas: do they exist? J R Coll Surg Edinb 1998;43:1–5Google ScholarPubMed
11 Briggs, RD, Pou, AM, Schnadig, VJ. Cystic metastasis versus branchial cleft carcinoma: a diagnostic challenge. Laryngoscope 2002;112:1010–14CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12 Jereczek-Fossa, BA, Casadio, C, Jassem, J, Luzzatto, F, Viale, G, Bruschini, R et al. Branchiogenic carcinoma – conceptual or true clinicopathological entity? Cancer Treat Rev 2005;31:106–14CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13 Khafif, RA, Prichep, R, Minkowitz, S. Primary branchiogenic carcinoma. Head Neck 1989;11:153–63CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14 Lin, Y-C, Fang, S-Y, Huang, R-H. Branchiogenic squamous cell carcinoma: a case report. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2004;33:209–12CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15 Skoulakis, CE, Karametos, IG, Fericean, AA, Kostis, JG, Divani, S, Valagiannis, DE. Branchiogenic squamous cell carcinoma: a case report. Case Rep Clin Pract Rev 2006;7:114–18Google Scholar
16 Maturo, SC, Michaelson, PG, Faulkner, JA. Primary branchiogenic carcinoma: the confusion continues. Am J Otolaryngol 2007;28:25–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17 Compagno, J, Hyams, VJ, Safavian, M. Does branchiogenic carcinoma really exist? Arch Pathol Lab Med 1976;100:311–14Google Scholar
18 Granström, G, Edström, S. The relationship between cervical cysts and tonsillar carcinoma in adults. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 1989;47:16–20CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19 Thompson, LD, Heffner, DK. The clinical importance of cystic squamous cell carcinomas in the neck: a study of 136 cases. Cancer 1998;82:944–563.0.CO;2-#>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20 Girvigian, MR, Rechdouni, AK, Zeger, GD, Segall, H, Rice, DH, Petrovich, Z. Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a second branchial cleft cyst. Am J Clin Oncol 2004;27:96–100CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21 Lanzafame, S, Caltabiano, R, Puzzo, L, Cappellani, A. Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) and p63 expression in two primary thyroid papillary carcinomas of branchial cleft cysts. Virchows Arch 2006;449:129–33CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22 Kreft, A, Hansen, T, Kirkpatrick, CJ. Thyroid transcription factor 1 expression in cystic lesions of the neck: an immunohistochemical investigation of thyroglossal duct cysts, branchial cleft cysts and metastatic papillary thyroid cancer. Virchows Arch 2005;447:9–11CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23 Delank, KW, Freytag, G, Stoll, W. Clinical relevance of malignant lateral branchial cyst [in German]. Laryngorhinootologie 1992;71:611–17CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24 Gourin, CG, Johnson, JT. Incidence of unsuspected metastases in lateral cervical cysts. Laryngoscope 2000;110:1637–41CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25 Bath, AP, Murty, GE, Bradley, PJ. Branchial cyst – to endoscope or not? J Laryngol Otol 1992;106:1006–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26 Flanagan, PM, Roland, NJ, Jones, AS. Cervical node metastases presenting with features of branchial cysts. J Laryngol Otol 1994;108:1068–71CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27 Nordemar, S, Högmo, A, Lindholm, J, Tani, E, Sjöström, B, Auer, G et al. The clinical value of image cytometry DNA analysis in distinguishing branchial cleft cysts from cystic metastases of head and neck cancer. Laryngoscope 2002;112:1983–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28 Misonou, J, Iwabuchi, K, Aizawa, M, Murakami, S. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma arising in a lymphoepithelial cyst – report of a case and review of the literature on branchiogenic carcinoma. Jpn J Surg 1989;19:474–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29 Vera Llao, R, Bernat Landoni, R, Nogués Orpi, J, Sandoval Puig, M, González Compta, X, Dicenta Sousa, M. Does branchiogenic carcinoma exist or not? [in Spanish]. Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp 1995;46:399–401Google ScholarPubMed
30 Singh, B, Balwally, AN, Sundaram, K, Har-El, G, Krgin, B. Branchial cleft cyst carcinoma: myth or reality? Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1998;107:519–24CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31 Cinberg, JZ, Silver, CE, Molnar, JJ, Vogl, SE. Cervical cysts: cancer until proven otherwise? Laryngoscope 1982;92:27–30CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32 Marlowe, FI, Goodman, RS, Mobini, J, Dave, U. Cystic metastasis from occult tonsillar primary simulating branchiogenic carcinoma: the case for tonsillectomy as a “grand biopsy.” Laryngoscope 1984;94:833–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33 Raghavan, U, Bradley, PJ. Management of cystic cervical metastasis. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2003;11:124–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34 Goldenberg, D, Sciubba, J, Koch, WM. Cystic metastasis from head and neck squamous cell cancer: a distinct disease variant? Head Neck 2006;28:633–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35 Katori, H, Nozawa, A, Tsukuda, M. Post-operative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy with carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil for primary branchiogenic carcinoma. J Laryngol Otol 2005;119:467–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed