Epithelial myoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid gland with high-grade transformation

BMJ Case Rep. 2024 Jan 23;17(1):e259364. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2023-259364.

Abstract

A woman presented with a painless swelling in front of her right auricle, which, on examination, seemed to be a hard, immobile mass arising from the right parotid gland. CT scan showed a heterogeneously enhancing mass lesion in the superficial lobe of the parotid gland with partial extension into the deep lobe. Fine needle aspiration cytology suggested a high-grade transformation (HGT) with the presence of bizarre tumour cells. She underwent a right-sided total parotidectomy with transient facial neuropraxia in the postoperative period. The final pathological diagnosis of the specimen came out to be epithelial myoepithelial carcinoma with HGT, which is a relatively rare entity, with no defined guidelines for management. Our patient was managed by surgical resection alone without any postoperative radiation therapy, and short-term follow-up results seem to suggest no recurrence.

Keywords: General surgery; Head and neck cancer; Head and neck surgery; Pathology; Surgical oncology.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Atrial Appendage*
  • Biopsy, Fine-Needle
  • Carcinoma*
  • Contusions*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Parotid Gland