Carcinosarcoma of the parotid gland: cytological, clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study of a case

Pathol Res Pract. 2000;196(7):511-7. doi: 10.1016/s0344-0338(00)80053-9.

Abstract

Manifesting a putative origin from a pleomorphic adenoma, carcinosarcoma of the salivary gland is a heterologous neoplasm in which a sarcomatous and a carcinomatous component coexist. We present a parotid gland carcinosarcoma in a 77-year-old man with peculiar morphological findings. Fine-needle aspiration cytology allowed a preoperative diagnosis of poorly differentiated carcinoma. At histologic examination, the tumor showed biphasic differentiation with an epithelial component made up of well-differentiated keratinizing squamous carcinoma and ductal-type adenocarcinoma, and a mesenchymal component, revealing focal areas of osteosarcoma and myoepithelial malignant proliferation. Carcinosarcoma is a very rare malignant neoplasm, accounting for 0.16% of malignant salivary gland tumors: only 60 cases have been reported, some of which arose "de novo", i.e., without clinico-pathologic evidence of a pre- or co-existing pleomorphic adenoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis
  • Biopsy, Needle
  • Carcinosarcoma / chemistry
  • Carcinosarcoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinosarcoma / pathology*
  • Carcinosarcoma / surgery
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Proteins / analysis
  • Parotid Gland / diagnostic imaging
  • Parotid Gland / pathology
  • Parotid Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Parotid Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Parotid Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Parotid Neoplasms / surgery
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Neoplasm Proteins