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Case Reports
. 2021 Nov 9;13(11):e19386.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.19386. eCollection 2021 Nov.

A Case of Hypopharyngeal Cancer Associated With Fanconi Anemia: A Helical Tomotherapy Experience

Gizem Kavak  1 , Semih Basci  2 , Esra Türker Kekilli  1 , Mehmet S Dal  2 , Ebru Karakaya  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

A Case of Hypopharyngeal Cancer Associated With Fanconi Anemia: A Helical Tomotherapy Experience

Gizem Kavak et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a disease that could be accompanied by multiple abnormalities, such as growth retardation, bone marrow abnormalities, and cancer susceptibility. Among the FA patients, head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) is the most observed solid cancer. The life expectancy of patients with FA has increased with recent medical advances. Furthermore, HNSCC is diagnosed in 3% of FA patients, and half of these patients die because of their HNSCC. The median age of HNSCC patients with FA is 31, and according to the literature HNSCC incidence of FA, patients is more than 700-fold of the normal population. Here, we reported the treatment details and challenges we faced during hypopharyngeal cancer treatment in a FA patient.

Keywords: aplastic anemia; cetuximab; concomitant chemo-radiation therapy; fanconi anemia; head and neck squamous cell cancer; helical imrt; radiation therapy; tomotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Positron emission tomography imaging
The lesion indicated by the arrows is in the hypopharynx, starting from the right side of the oropharynx and extending to the proximal esophagus (SUV max: 8.5).
Figure 2
Figure 2. Helical Tomotherapy plan of the patient
Blackline: planning target volume (PTV) 70 primary. Redline: PTV 70 lymphadenopathy. Dark blue line: PTV 60
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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