Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma of Hypopharynx; A Case Report

Abstract

Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) is an aggressive soft-tissue malignancy, notorious for its metastasis to other tissues. A considerable number of cases in the head and neck have been reported but not in the hypopharynx. We describe a 31-year-old man with an incidental finding of a hypopharyngeal mass. Flexible laryngoscopy revealed a fleshy mass 2 × 2 cm² originating from the left hypopharynx and overlying the epiglottis. Computed tomography scan demonstrated a soft tissue mass in the left wall of the oropharynx measuring about 2.2 × 1.8 cm², projecting into the hypopharyngeal air space. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a significant thickening of the left hypopharyngeal wall forming a mass lesion occupying the left pyriform sinus and abutting the left aryepiglottic fold. Histopathology indicated that tumor cells were polygonal and epithelioid, with abundant eosinophilic to clear flocculent cytoplasm, eccentric nuclei, and prominent nucleoli. The tumor was positive for smooth muscle actin with rare cells staining for Human Melanoma Black (HMB45). Fluorescence in situ hybridization for transcription factor E3 was also performed and supported the above diagnosis. Our study reports the first case of ASPS in the hypopharynx.

Keywords: alveolar soft part; head and neck neoplasms; hypopharynx; sarcoma.