Nasal cavity paraganglioma with malignant transformation: a case report

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In this report, we describe a young woman with a nasal cavity paraganglioma with malignant transformation. METHODS AND RESULTS: A 23-year-old woman presented with frequent right-sided epistaxis. Physical examination revealed a pedunculated mass originating from the right superior turbinate and filling the posterior nasal cavity. The endoscopically removed mass was composed of a reddish anterior portion and a white, flesh-looking posterior portion, the latter comprising the majority of the tumor. Histologically, the anterior portion showed a paraganglioma and the posterior portion showed a separate malignant lesion simulating Ewing's sarcoma/PNET. She underwent wide endoscopic excision including the site of tumor origin and has been followed up for 3 years without any evidence of disease recurrence. CONCLUSION: This is a rare case of nasal cavity paraganglioma that had transformed into a malignant tumor.