Salivary gland tumors: Gupta

Question 1

Pleomorphic adenoma

Answer 1

• comprises 50% of salivary gland tumors
• females, typically middle aged
• usually benign: slow-growing, painless, movable, firm mass, rounded, rubbery texture
• histo: consists of mixture of ductal (epithelial) and myoepithelial cells, therefore they show both epithelial and mesenchymal differentiation
• may also contain varying degrees of myxoid, hyaline, chondroid, or osseous tissue

Question 2

Warthin tumor

Answer 2

• comprises 5-10% of salivary gland tumors
• males, middle-aged, smokers
• almost exclusively in the parotid gland, can be bilateral (coincidence), benign
• histo: epithelial and lymphoid elements; may see germinal centers beneath the epithelium
• cystic spaces separate lobules of neoplastic epithelium consisting of a double layer of eosinophilic epithelial cells based on a reactive lymphoid stroma - will see epithelium will clearing on either side
• will often do FNA and describe contents as motor oil

Question 3

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma

Answer 3

• comprises 15% of salivary gland tumors
• 60-70% of these tumors occur in the parotid gland; this is the most common malignant salivary gland tumor in kids, but they are usually low grade which has a good prognosis (high grades have poorer prognosis)
• histo: mixture of squamous cells, mucus-secreting cells*, and intermediate cells; will look like sheets of cells, mucus may or may not be very obvious

*May be hard to see so can use a special stain that stains the mucus bright pink