Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma recurrence associated with exogenous testosterone therapy.

BACKGROUND: Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas (JNAs) are rare benign lesions that express hormonal receptors. This report describes a recurrence of a JNA 20 years after excision associated with exogenous testosterone therapy.

METHODS: A 36-year-old man developed a sphenoid mass 20 years following resection of a JNA, shortly after initiating exogenous testosterone therapy for symptomatic low endogenous testosterone.

RESULTS: The mass was subsequently excised and was histologically consistent with a JNA. The patient resumed his testosterone therapy postoperatively. Repeated imaging has demonstrated no recurrence after 3 years.

CONCLUSION: This unique case adds further evidence to the role of testosterone in the pathogenesis of JNAs. Exogenous testosterone can cause tumor regrowth at any time, even decades following treatment. The patients with a history of JNA, even those without recurrence for years, should weigh the risk of recurrence before the use of exogenous testosterone.