Case Report and literature review: Primary Nasal Cavity NUT Carcinoma

Abstract Nuclear proteins of the testis (NUT) carcinoma resulting from t(15,19) rearrangement is a rare and aggressive carcinoma, which is characterized by primary occur in the midline of body, especially in the upper aerodigestive tract. Due to its poor report and incidence, it is difficult but significant for clinicians to diagnose during patients first visit. Up to now, there has been lack of a standard therapeutic regimen of this lethal disease and a multimodal approach with systemic chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy is adopted in clinical practice. Recently, new procedures like BET-inhibition also have been investigated in clinical trials. In this study, we report a case of primary nasal cavity NUT midline carcinoma in a 23-year-old man who had a chief complaint of eye pain and exophthalmos in the left. The initial pathological examination suggested malignant tumor but difficult to make a definite diagnosis. Given the tumor’s wide invasion of sinuses of the whole group, the eye in the left and anterior fossa, we suggest resection and chemotherapy. At present, the patient died 3 months after diagnosis of NUT carcinoma. The present paper reviews the clinical characteristics of NUT carcinoma, the current methods of diagnosis, and treatment of this rare and aggressive disease.