21521              CARCINOMA OF THE HYPOPHARYNX

The patient was a woman aged 48 with a history of 12 months progressive dysphagia.  She also had diffuse enlargement of the thyroid which on biopsy proved to be an inactive colloid goitre.  Oesophagoscopy showed a malignant obstruction in the hypopharynx and a Souttar’s tube was inserted.  Radiotherapy was given and she was discharged.  Two weeks later she vomited and a large amount of blood and died.

The specimen is of the tongue and the neck structures viewed from behind.  There is a long fungating stenosing carcinoma of the hypopharynx closely enveloping the Souttar’s tube.  Inferiorly the tumour is adherent to the arch of the aorta and has eroded into the aortic lumen.  The perforation is marked with a blue rod.  The reverse of the specimen shows the diffuse colloid goitre.  Histology shows an active squamous carcinoma forming much keratin, with may epithelial pearls.