High-Grade Sinonasal Carcinoma: Classification Through Molecular Profiling

Abstract

High-grade sinonasal carcinomas are a cohort of malignant epithelial neoplasms arising in the sinonasal cavities with distinct, ominous morphologic features or lacking well-differentiated features that might otherwise classify them as less biologically worrisome. Recent advances in molecular profiling have led to the identification of several distinct tumor entities previously grouped together. These molecularly distinct lesions include NUT (midline) carcinoma, INI1 (SMARCB1)-deficient carcinoma, SMARCA4-deficient sinonasal carcinoma, and novel IDH-mutant sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma, in addition to the previously described lymphoepithelial carcinoma that may also be included in the differential diagnosis. The discovery of these distinct molecular tumor profiles may have significant clinical impact as targeted molecular-based therapeutics continue to evolve, and they may offer some respite for patients who have these highly aggressive cancers.