Branchial Cleft Carcinoma

T HE EXISTENCE of branchial cleft carcinoma is not unanimously accepted although Volkmann 1 in 1882 proposed this concept of origin for a certain number of carcinomas arising in the lateral aspects of the neck. Reviewing 250 cases published in the world literature until 1950, Martin et al 2 concluded that none of these cases were properly documented as to origin, and proceeded to establish criteria for proper diagnosis of branchial cleft carcinoma. Since then, eight cases, 3-8 all with apparently acceptable evidence of branchial origin, have been reported, although a complete postmortem examination was not done at the termination of any of these cases. Because there are still controversies concerning the existence of a carcinoma arising in the wall of a branchial cleft cyst, the autopsy findings in the following case are presented. Report of a Case A 59-year-old white man had a huge cervical mass in the left