The First Report of Small Cell Cancer of the Uvula Presenting With Ectopic Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Syndrome

Abstract

Small cell carcinoma (SmCC) of the head and neck is a rare occurrence. We herein present a case of a 62-year-old female who was diagnosed with small cell cancer of the uvula. The patient developed increased body swelling, elevated blood pressure, persistent hypokalemia and new onset diabetes mellitus. Further workup confirmed a diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome secondary to ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) production. To our knowledge, this is only the second case of SmCC of the uvula described in literature, and the first associated with any paraneoplastic syndrome. By reporting this case, we aim to characterize the tumor clinical course and highlight the aggressive nature of its growth.




World J Oncol. 2018;9(4):115-118
doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/wjon1130w