Delayed diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a patient with early signs of unilateral ear disorder

  • Marlinda Adham Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta
  • Dadan Rohdiana Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta
  • Ika D. Mayangsari Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta
  • Zanil Musa Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13181/mji.v23i1.689
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Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most frequent head and neck malignancy in Indonesia. Misdiagnosis of NPC is common because of unspecific symptoms as unilateral ear complaint. This case reminds doctors of the early symptoms of NPC and of other factors which lead to misdiagnosis and addresses also patients and their families. Reported is a 44 years old man with unilateral ear disorder that had been treated by otorhinolaryngologists, an ophthalmologist, a neurologist, and dentist first, but diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma stage IVA (T4N1M0) one year later. NPC has unspecific early symptoms such as unilateral ear disorder. Primarily doctors, but also patients and their families should be aware of unilateral ear complaint.

Keywords: misdiagnosis, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, unilateral ear disorders

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Published
2014-03-11
How to Cite
1.
Adham M, Rohdiana D, Mayangsari ID, Musa Z. Delayed diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a patient with early signs of unilateral ear disorder. Med J Indones [Internet]. 2014Mar.11 [cited 2024Apr.24];23(1):52-7. Available from: http://mji.ui.ac.id/journal/index.php/mji/article/view/689
Issue
Vol. 23 No. 1 (2014): February
Section
Case Report/Series

Copyright (c) 2014 Marlinda Adham, Dadan Rohdiana, Ika D. Mayangsari, Zanil Musa

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