Primary small cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity with an unusual oral manifestation

Abstract

Small cell carcinoma (SCC) is a malignancy that mainly occurs in the lung, with primary lesions in the head and neck being very rare. This neoplasm has an aggressive growth pattern, high recurrence rate, and tendency to metastasize to other sites via the lymphatics and bloodstream. The prognosis of patients with SCC is poor, as the 5-year survival is only 13%. Treatment options include surgical excision, multiple-agent chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. We report a rare case of primary SCC of the nasal cavity presenting as a lesion of the hard palate and describe its clinical, histologic, and immunohistochemical features.