Cytological investigation of a first case of basal cell adenocarcinoma arising in the minor salivary glands. Case report and review of the literature

Diagn Cytopathol. 2018 Aug;46(8):682-684. doi: 10.1002/dc.23919. Epub 2018 Mar 1.

Abstract

Basal cell adenocarcinoma (BCAC) of salivary glands is uncommon low-grade malignancy. Only 19 cases of preoperative cytology were reported up to date. We present here a new case of BCAC arising in the minor salivary gland. Tumor was composed of clustered or isolated roundish, dark cells with small and regular nuclei. Chromatin was dusty with small nucleoli. Cytoplasm was gray and scant. Clusters showed typical and characteristic basal architecture with peripheral palisading neighboring eosinophilic basal membranes. A false-negative diagnosis of basal cell adenoma was rendered. In our knowledge it is the first cytological description of BCAC arising in the minor salivary gland.

Keywords: basal cell adenocarcinoma; fine-needle aspiration; minor salivary glands.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology*
  • Aged
  • False Negative Reactions
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Salivary Gland Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Salivary Glands, Minor / pathology*