Distinct Clinical and Microscopic Features of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma: 3 Case Reports

Abstract

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a malignant, slow-growing neoplasm and is usually fatal. It represents 10-15% of salivary gland malignancies, and nearly half of all cases of ACC occur in the minor salivary gland. We report 3 cases of ACC in patients who were distinct in terms of demographic characteristics, as well as in terms of the location, clinical profile, and radiographic features of the ACC: a 49-year-old female presenting with swelling of the buccal mucosa; a 25-year-old female presenting with an ulcerated lesion in the hard palate, without radiographic findings; and a 49-year-old male complaining of a painful lump in the mandible, which was identified as a large osteolytic lesion with irregular margins, extending to the mandibular body and ramus. Histopathological examination revealed a biphasic neoplasm composed of a dual population (ductal and myoepithelial cells) with tubular, cribriform, or solid growth patterns. In all cases, the lesions were resected with wide surgical margins, and different prognoses were established. Clinical, radiographic, and microscopic features are discussed.