Metastasising Pleomorphic Salivary Adenoma: A Rare Case Report of a Massive Untreated Minor Salivary Gland Pleomorphic Adenoma with Concurrent Ipsilateral Cervical Node Metastases

Metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland: A common tumour with a very unusual presentation

Metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma is recognized as a subtype of pleomorphic adenoma in WHO classification 5th edition of salivary glands. The controversy pertaining to the entity is the benign features of the disease even at a metastatic site. We present a rare case of left recurrent pre-auricular swelling in a young male reported as metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma. A nineteen-year-old male presented with left preauricular swelling seven years ago which was diagnosed as pleomorphic adenoma and underwent complete excision of tumour. The tumour recurred twice - two and five years after the surgery. At the second recurrence, the level II neck dissection showed multiple encapsulated deposits of pleomorphic adenoma having similar morphology in the cervical soft tissue with no features of high-grade transformation.

Rare Diseases of the Salivary Glands and of Facial Nerve

Salivary gland diseases are rare. In the European Union (EU) a disease is considered to be rare if not more than 5 of 10,000 people are affected by it. According to estimates in Germany are about 4 million people with a rare disease. In the EU are about 30 million people with rare diseases [1]. In the present work most of the described diseases of salivary glands and of the facial nerve fall in this category. They form a very heterogeneous group whose treatment takes place mainly in specialized centers. Still, it is essential for the otolaryngologist to identify and to diagnose these diseases in order to initiate the right therapeutic steps. The work is a compilation of innate andacquired rare salivary gland disorders and of rare facial nerve disorders. The etiologies of inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders and tumors are taken into account. For the individual topics, the current literature, if available, was evaluated and turned into summarized facts. In this context the development of new processes, diagnostics, imaging and therapy are considered. Genetic backgrounds of salivary gland tumors and the trends in the treatment of tumorous lesions of the facial nerve are picked up. Furthermore, also rare diseases of the salivary glands in childhood are described. Some of them can occur in adults as well, but differ in frequency and symptoms. Due to the rarity of these diseases, it is recommended to tread these in centers with special expertise for it. Finally, the difficulties of initiation of studies and the problems of establishing disease registries concerning salivary gland disorders are discussed. This is very relevant because these pathologies are comparatively seldom.

Maxillofacial diagnostic features of the enigmatic metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma

Considering the confusion in the literature regarding local recurrence, spread, or metastases of pleomorphic adenoma (PA) in the head and neck region, the aim of this study was to enhance understanding of the characteristics of metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma (MPA) by reviewing the literature and presenting a case. English language articles with proof of metastases were included in the literature review. Of the 80 cases in the literature with MPA, 46 were female and 33 were male (sex missing for one case). Thirty-five percent of the neoplasms affected the bones; the maxilla was affected in five cases and the mandible in three. The parotid was the primary site in 72.5% of cases and the submandibular gland in 16.2% of cases. The local recurrence rate was 70%. The mean interval between primary PA and MPA was 15.52 years. The total mortality rate was 8.7%. A case of PA of the submandibular gland that recurred after surgical excision and metastasized (confirmed by the presence of intact cortical borders) to the ipsilateral mandibular body, upper lip, and neck is described. The high mortality rate in a histologically defined benign disease that metastasizes demands that management include careful primary excision and long-term clinical follow-up.