New tumor entities in the 4th edition of the World Health Organization classification of head and neck tumors: Nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses and skull base

• Published in: Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology Vol. 472; no. 3; pp. 315 - 330
• Main Authors: Thompson, Lester D. R., Franchi, Alessandro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.03.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adenoid; Carcinoma - classification; Carcinoma - pathology; Classification; Differential diagnosis; Head & neck cancer; Head and neck; Head and Neck Neoplasms - diagnosis; Head and Neck Neoplasms - pathology; Housing; Humans; Lesions; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Nasal Cavity - pathology; Neoplasia; Neoplasms; Neuroendocrine tumors; Nomenclature; Nose; Papilloma; Paranasal sinuses; Paranasal Sinuses - physiology; Pathology; Residential areas; Review and Perspectives; Sarcoma; Sinus; Sinuses; Skull; Skull Base - pathology; Tumors; World Health Organization; Immunohistochemistry; Carcinoma, squamous cell; Skull base; Paranasal sinuses; Sinonasal papilloma; Biphenotypic sinonasal sarcoma; HPV-related adenoid cystic carcinoma; Adenocarcinoma, sinonasal type; Nasal cavity; SMARCB1-deficient carcinoma; Neuroectodermal tumors; Tumor; WHO
• ISSN: 0945-6317; 1432-2307
• DOI: 10.1007/s00428-017-2116-0

The World Health Organization recently published the 4th edition of the Classification of Head and Neck Tumors, including several new entities, emerging entities, and significant updates to the classification and characterization of tumor and tumor-like lesions, specifically as it relates to nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, and skull base in this overview. Of note, three new entities (NUT carcinoma, seromucinous hamartoma, biphenotypic sinonasal sarcoma,) were added to this section, while emerging entities ( SMARCB1 -deficient carcinoma and HPV-related carcinoma with adenoid cystic-like features) and several tumor-like entities (respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma, chondromesenchymal hamartoma) were included as provisional diagnoses or discussed in the setting of the differential diagnosis. The sinonasal tract houses a significant diversity of entities, but interestingly, the total number of entities has been significantly reduced by excluding tumor types if they did not occur exclusively or predominantly at this site or if they are discussed in detail elsewhere in the book. Refinements to nomenclature and criteria were provided to sinonasal papilloma, borderline soft tissue tumors, and neuroendocrine neoplasms. Overall, the new WHO classification reflects the state of current understanding for many relatively rare neoplasms, with this article highlighting the most significant changes.