Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastatic to the Palatine Tonsil

Yu-Hsuan Wen ^a, Rong-Hsing Yang ^a, Pei-Rong Chen ^{a, b}, Tzung-Shiahn Sheen ^c, Hung-Pin Wu ^{b, d, e}

^aDepartment of Otolaryngology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan
^bSchool of Medicine, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
^cDepartment of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
^dDepartment of Otolaryngology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taipei Branch, Taipei, Taiwan
^eInstitute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

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Abstract

Metastatic cancer to the palatine tonsil is extremely rare. We describe a 66-year-old man who was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma 2 years previously and who had the sensation of having a lump in his throat for 1 month before presentation. One reddish-blue, ulcerated, granular tumor was found at his right tonsillar fossa. After tonsillectomy, pathology showed metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma. The patient died from sepsis and hepatic failure 9 months later.

Keywords

Hepatocellular carcinoma; Metastatic cancer; Palatine tonsil