-Case Reports-

Epithelial-Myoepithelial Carcinoma of the Submandibular Gland: Case Report

Jingwen Sun, Xiaojing Cai, Wentao Zou and Jiaxiong Zhang

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China

Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMC) is a rare malignant salivary gland tumor that occurs mostly in the parotid gland. We report a case of EMC of the submandibular gland in a young man. The patient was aware of a slow-growing mass in the right submandibular gland for 1 year. Clinical examination and ultrasound confirmed a right submandibular mass, 2.5 × 3 cm² in size. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration indicated a diagnosis of pleomorphic adenoma, which was also suggested by magnetic resonance imaging. The submandibular gland tumor was excised. Immunohistochemical analysis showed carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma with a major epithelial-myoepithelial component. The patient was not treated with radiotherapy after surgery. No recurrence was observed during 24 months of follow-up. Because the morphology of EMC is similar to that of a benign tumor, it is frequently initially misdiagnosed. Surgery is always the most effective diagnostic and therapeutic measure for salivary gland tumors, especially those that grow slowly. Resection with negative margins is the treatment of choice for EMC; use of adjuvant radiotherapy is controversial.

J Nippon Med Sch 2021; 88: 238-241

Keywords
case report, epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma, pathological diagnosis, salivary cancer, submandibular gland neoplasm

Correspondence to
Jiaxiong Zhang, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, No. 301 Yanchang Middle Rd, Shanghai 200072, P.R. China
syent_zjx@163.com

Received, January 10, 2020
Accepted, July 31, 2020