Pharyngeal teratocarcinosarcoma: review of the literature and report of two cases

Teratocarcinosarcomas are rare malignant neoplasms histologically characterized by the presence of benign and malignant epithelial and mesenchymal elements. They are seen almost exclusively in the sinonasal tract of men. We report two cases of teratocarcinosarcomas involving the posterior pharyngeal wall in a 55-year-old male and 60-year-old men. The tumors consisted of epithelial components including squamous, neuroendocrine, and glandular structures; neuroepithelium, and mesenchymal components with prominent rhabdomyoblastic, osteoblastic and chondroid differentiation. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated markers characteristic of each component. The tumors were resected, and the patients received postoperative radiation therapy. One patient is alive with recurrent tumor 33 months after treatment and the other died 26 months after radiation therapy with distant metastasis.