Pericardial effusion as primary manifestation of metastatic cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma: diagnostic cytopathology from an exfoliative sample

Diagn Cytopathol. 2008 May;36(5):351-4. doi: 10.1002/dc.20818.

Abstract

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) occurs not only as a tumor of salivary glands, but also in very unusual locations, such as in the skin. Only very few cases of primary cutaneous of ACC have metastasized to the lymph nodes and lungs. We present a 53-year-old man with metastasis of the pericardium from a primary cutaneous ACC (PCACC) of the scalp, which had been surgically treated 14 years ago. Exfoliative cytologic findings from pericardial effusion included small clusters of basaloid cells with occasional cystlike spaces containing mucoid material. To our knowledge, this is the first case of pericardial metastasis from a PCACC.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / secondary*
  • Cytodiagnosis / methods
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Heart Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pericardial Effusion / diagnostic imaging
  • Pericardial Effusion / pathology*
  • Pericardium / pathology*
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Skin Neoplasms / surgery
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed