Adenoid cystic carcinoma: A rare late presentation of the mobile tongue

Abstract

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is an infrequent malignant neoplasm of the salivary glands. We present a case of a 70-year-old male patient with a swelling over the dorsal and ventral surface of anterior two third of the tongue which was causing him difficulty in mastication since 10 months. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging were done following which the surgical excision of the lesion was performed and histopathological diagnosis of ACC was achieved. It was rare to find ACC in such an old man with such a large lesion presenting so late in the rare site of the mobile tongue. ACC is a slowly growing, highly invasive cancer with a high recurrence rate and chances of metastases, so surgery is the choice of treatment with mandatory long-term follow-up.