A case of sublingual adenoid cystic carcinoma involving the mandible presenting as a "skip lesion"

Metastasis of Sublingual Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma to the Upper Gingiva

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the sublingual gland is rare. There are no previous reports of the metastasis of sublingual gland ACC to the upper gingiva. Herein, we report the first case of a patient with metastasis of sublingual gland ACC to the upper gingiva. It should be recognized that although metastasis of sublingual gland ACC to the upper gingiva is very rare, it can occur.

A torus-like sublingual adenoid cystic carcinoma in a 35-year-old male: Review of literature and case report

Key Clinical Message

The case report describes an adenoid cystic carcinoma occurring at a rare location and the diagnostic pathway. Swellings of the floor of the mouth, whether painful or without subjective symptoms and regardless of consistency, should be taken seriously.

Abstract

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ADCC) of the sublingual salivary gland only accounts for 2% of all ADCCs. In this study, we report a rare case of ADCC with sublingual salivary gland origin in a 35-year-old man and a comprehensive review of articles published over the past 62 years.

Oropharyngeal adenoid cystic carcinoma invading the mandibular bone through the mandibular foramen

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare epithelial tumor of the head and neck region, and one of the most common malignant tumors of the salivary glands. ACC is a slow-growing tumor characterized by perineural invasion and often has a high-recurrence rate. We describe a case of oropharyngeal ACC invading the mandibular bone through the mandibular foramen that showed a rare pattern of origin and invasion. A 70-year-old woman complained of noise and pain around the right temporomandibular joint. Osteomyelitis was suspected on the initial imaging examinations, although the findings were slightly atypical. However, a mass was observed in the right oropharyngeal wall on subsequent imaging examinations, and mandibular bone invasion, rather than osteomyelitis, was additionally suspected. The mass in the right oropharyngeal wall and right mandible was surgically excised. On postoperative histopathological examination, the mass was finally diagnosed as ACC. As tumor cells were also observed around the inferior alveolar nerve, mandibular bone invasion through the mandibular foramen was suspected. An oropharyngeal ACC invading the mandibular bone through the mandibular foramen is extremely rare. The present case suggests that bone invasion should be considered carefully with several imaging examinations when a malignant tumor such as ACC is observed around the jaw bone.