Korean J Cytopathol.  2006 Mar;17(1):56-62.

Salivary Duct Carcinoma with Mucin Containing Cells: Report of a Case Misdiagnosed as Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma on Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology

• Kim H
• Kim H
• Kim H
• Kim J
• Hong SW
• Kim SH

Abstract

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is a rare primary salivary gland malignancy characterized by histological features similar to those of ductal carcinomas of the breast. It is regarded as a high-grade malignancy associated with frequent local recurrences and early distant metastases that require aggressive treatment. The typical fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) findings in SDC include cellular smears showing tumor cells with eccentric pleomorphic nuclei and a granular cytoplasm arranged in flat sheets or cribriform patterns against a necrotic background. However, the presence of mucin-containing cells in SDC has been rarely described. We report the FNAC findings in a patient with histologically confirmed SDC that demonstrated numerous mucin-containing cells and was subsequently misdiagnosed as a high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Here we discuss the problems involved in distinguishing SDC from high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma on the basis of cytologic findings alone.

Keyword

Salivary duct carcinoma; Mucin; Fine needle aspiration cytology

MeSH Terms

Biopsy, Fine-Needle*
Breast
Carcinoma, Ductal
Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid*
Cytoplasm
Humans
Mucins*
Neoplasm Metastasis
Recurrence
Salivary Ducts*
Salivary Glands
Mucins