Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the nasal septum: A rare case report

A 60-year-old male patient came to ENT OPD with complaints of left nasal obstruction from the last 5 years and moderate quantity of epistaxis from the last 4 months. It was associated with foul smelling mucopurulent rhinorrhea. On clinical examination, a fleshy mass was seen occupying the posterior part of left nasal cavity and displacing the septum on the right side. The mass was relatively painful, soft, and bleeding on touch. The provisional diagnosis of "vascular-tumor-like" angiofibroma was suspected. Diagnostic nasal endoscopy and CT scan PNS were done which revealed a mass occupying the left nasal cavity arising from the posterior part of septum along the choanae till the anterior part of sphenoid sinus. Biopsy of the same revealed an adenoid cystic carcinoma. Adenoid cystic carcinoma is uncommon and that too of the nasal cavity. The cases of the adenoid cystic carcinoma involving the nasal cavity usually involves the lateral wall and the involvement of the posterior part of nasal septum is extremely rare. Thus the presentation of this uncommon disease is discussed here