A case report of sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma in a 60-year-old female in clinical practice

Abstract

This was a rare case of sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) in a 60-year-old female who presented with complaints of progressive right cheek swelling, associated headache, nasal obstruction, and mucopurulent nasal discharge. Conventional plane radiograph of the cranial paranasal air sinuses revealed opacification of the right maxillary sinus with erosion of the floor of the orbit. The cranial computed tomographic (CT) scan images revealed opacification of the right maxillary sinus, both ethmoidal sinuses and the entire right and medial half of the left frontal sinus. There was erosion of the floor of the anterior cranial fossa on the right side close to the midline. Furthermore, there was extensive and expansile mixed density mass lesion filling the entire right maxillary sinus, both ethmoidal sinuses, right sphenoidal sinus, frontal sinus, and both nasal cavities with medial displacement and infiltration of the right medial rectus muscle. A radiological assessment of extensive, locally advanced right antronasal mass was made on cranial CT scan. At surgery, a cheesy and friable tumor involving the roof, medial wall, and part of the floor of the maxillary sinus extending into the ethmoidal sinuses was seen with associated mucocele of the frontal sinus. Biopsy, histology, and immunohistochemistry of the mass showed SNUC.