Squamous Cell Proliferative Lesion of the Nasopharynx in a Newborn

Abstract

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 at 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 un-classifiable squamous cell proliferation previously not described.