18739              CARCINOMA OF THE HYPOPHARYNX

The patient was a woman aged 44 known to have a carcinoma of the hypopharynx for 7 months.  For the last month of her life she was fed by a naso-gastric tube and a tracheostomy was performed.  She died in a grossly emaciated state from bronchopneumonia.

The specimen consists of the pharynx and upper oseophagus together with the tongue and the anterior neck structures.  There is a very massive fungating carcinoma involving the entire hypopharynx and infiltrating the epiglottis and the base of the tongue, the tonsillar region and the soft palate.  The tumour is pale, firm and fleshy and there is marked superficial ulceration and sloughing.  Histology shows an actively growing squamous carcinoma with many keratin pearls.