title: Pediatric parapharyngeal lesions: criteria for malignancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parapharyngeal space (PPS) pediatric lesions represent a heterogeneous group of uncommon neoplasms of both benign and malignant nature. These tumors tend to be locally advanced by the time they are diagnosed; consequently, an early presumptive diagnosis of malignancy is of utmost importance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To highlight the occurrence of malignant PPS tumors in pediatric population, to determine their incidence and to describe probable warning clues for diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The charts of 23 pediatric patients with PPS swellings were retrospectively reviewed to analyze clinical and pathologic data. We describe possible criteria to suspect malignancy by clinical and radiological examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three patients presented with neoplastic lesions in the PPS, benign tumors in 43.5% and malignant in 56.5%. Malignancy was suspected in 13 cases according to combined clinical and radiological criteria: a painless intraoral and neck swelling in children below one year old, presentation with cranial nerve palsy, nasopharyngeal mucosal or sub-mucosal irregular lesion, the presence of multiple lymph nodes with no evidence of infection, and adjacent bony skull base destruction with intracranial extension.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occurrence of malignancy in PPS tumors in the pediatric population is not uncommon. Clinicians should deliberately look for associated secondary signs that predict malignancy. The surgeon must understand the pathological spectrum of tumors of this space and the proper use of imaging studies to make a preoperative diagnosis. This allows for planning of a sound surgical approach and a proper preoperative counseling.
authors.affiliation: Ain Shams University, 48 Ibn El Nafees Street, 6th District, Madinet Nasr, 11371 Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: elfikylobna@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Lobna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: El Fiky
authors.forename: Tamer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shoukry
authors.forename: Ossama
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hamid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015994:Incidence; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010372:Pediatrics; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010614:Pharynx / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Metastatic head neck tumors; Neurogenic tumors; Parapharyngeal space tumors; Pediatric head neck malignancy