Metastatic salivary duct carcinoma to the uterus: report of a case diagnosed by cervical smear

Endometrial carcinomas: a review emphasizing overlapping and distinctive morphological and immunohistochemical features

This review focuses on the most common diagnostic pitfalls and helpful morphologic and immunohistochemical markers in the differential diagnosis between the different subtypes of endometrial carcinomas, including: (1) endometrioid versus serous glandular carcinoma, (2) papillary endometrioid (not otherwise specified, villoglandular and nonvillous variants) versus serous carcinoma, (3) endometrioid carcinoma with spindle cells, hyalinization, and heterologous components versus malignant mixed müllerian tumor, (4) high-grade endometrioid versus serous carcinoma, (5) high-grade endometrioid carcinoma versus dedifferentiated or undifferentiated carcinoma, (6) endometrioid carcinoma with clear cells versus clear cell carcinoma, (7) clear cell versus serous carcinoma, (8) undifferentiated versus neuroendocrine carcinoma, (9) carcinoma of mixed cell types versus carcinoma with ambiguous features or variant morphology, (10) Lynch syndrome-related endometrial carcinomas, (11) high-grade or undifferentiated carcinoma versus nonepithelial uterine tumors. As carcinomas in the endometrium are not always primary, this review also discusses the differential diagnosis between endometrial carcinomas and other gynecological malignancies such as endocervical (glandular) and ovarian/peritoneal serous carcinoma, as well as with extra-gynecologic metastases (mainly breast and colon).

Salivary duct carcinoma metastatic to eyelid and orbit-a case report

BACKGROUND

Salivary duct carcinoma is a rare, extremely aggressive malignant tumor, demonstrating invasive growth with early regional and distant metastasis. We describe a case of parotid gland salivary duct carcinoma metastatic to the eyelid and orbit, as confirmed by immunohistochemical analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such case reported in the literature.

METHODS

A 43-year-old male had left lower eyelid and left inferior fornix/anterior orbital masses. The patient underwent left lower eyelid and anterior orbital biopsies for histopathological evaluation. Immunohistochemical analysis for markers like androgen receptors, gross cystic disease fluid protein-15, cytokeratins, HER-2/neu, epithelial membrane antigen, S-100 proteins, progesterone receptors, and estrogen receptors were performed to establish diagnosis.

RESULTS

Specimens from the eyelid and orbit revealed lobules of tumor cells exhibiting solid, micopapillary, and glandular appearance with central necrosis-comedo patterns. The tumor cells showed immunohistochemical reactivity to androgen receptor proteins, pankeratin, HER-2/neu and epithelial membrane antigen. Focal reactivity to gross cystic disease fluid protein-15 was also present. Immunoreactivity to S-100 proteins, progesterone receptors, and estrogen receptors were negative. Diagnosis was metastatic paratoid duct carcinoma to the left lower eyelid and left inferior orbit.

CONCLUSIONS

Although metastatic SDC of the eyelid and orbit is a rare phenomenon, the possibility of this extremely aggressive entity should be included in the differential diagnosis when dealing with a patient with an eyelid and/or orbital tumor.

Recurrent Colorectal Carcinoma Detected by Routine Cervicovaginal Papanicolaou Smear Testing

BACKGROUND

We present a case of recurrent colon cancer detected by routine, annual Papanicolaou screening.

CASE

A 59-year-old African American woman who had been treated for T2N0M0 (stage II, Dukes A) colon cancer 2 years before to presentation had a Pap smear showing a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion with a normal cervical biopsy result. Because of this discrepancy, a loop electrosurgical excision procedure and endocervical curettage were performed and showed atypical glandular cells suspicious for adenocarcinoma. Subsequent colonoscopy showed recurrent adenocarcinoma of the colon. The patient underwent an en-block total abdominal hysterectomy and anterior-perineal resection showing invasion of recurrent colon cancer into the uterus and cervix.

CONCLUSION

In patients with a history of extrauterine adenocarcinoma, abnormal Pap screening may indicate recurrent or metastatic carcinoma.

[Salivary duct carcinoma of the submandibular gland]

BACKGROUND

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is a rare adenocarcinoma of the salivary glands which usually occurs in the parotid gland (approx. 80%), but is also found in the submandibular gland (approx. 12%) and the minor salivary glands. Due to the low incidence of this tumour-particularly in terms of involvement of the submandibular and minor salivary glands-only limited clinical data is available.

PATIENTS/METHOD

In a retrospective investigation, follow-ups of six patients with a SDC of the submandibular gland were analysed and the surgical measures evaluated for their efficiency.

RESULTS

At the time of diagnosis, varying tumor stages were present (2xT1, 3xT2, 1xT1). Initial lymph node metastasis was observed in four (66.6%) of the six patients. In all patients, the submandibular gland was resected and neck dissection performed, in two cases (33,3%) this was followed by radiotherapy. Four patients developed a life-threatening local recurrence. Only one patient developed distant metastasis. Two thirds of the patients died due to tumor-related disease after an average of 35.5 months.

CONCLUSION

The clinical course of patients with SDC of the submandibular gland exhibits a high (66.6%) rate of local recurrence, crucial for the following clinical course. The treatment of these patients, therefore, must include radical tumor resection as well as tissue resection with a wide margin.

Salivary duct carcinoma: cytologic characteristics and application of androgen receptor immunostaining for diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Although there have been several reports of cytologic features for salivary duct carcinoma (SDC), it still can be difficult to diagnose patients with these tumor accurately at the time of fine-needle aspiration (FNA). Review of the literature indicates that, immunohistochemically, SDC expresses androgen receptor (AR) in the majority of patients. The authors investigated the cytologic characteristics and utility of AR immunostaining on cytologic smears for the diagnosis of patients with SDC.

METHODS

FNA and imprint smears from four patients with SDC were stained with Papanicolaou and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS). Immunostaining for AR on paraffin sections and imprint smears of SDC was performed, including 51 benign and other malignant salivary gland tumors.

RESULTS

The smears were cellular and contained three-dimensional clusters, flat sheets, and scattered epithelial cells with necrotic backgrounds. A cribriform architectural pattern was noted in many of the tumor sheets. The tumor cells were large polygonal, spindle, and round to oval, and had abundant, finely granular, or vacuolated cytoplasm. Intracytoplasmic vacuoles were PAS negative. The nuclei were hyperchromatic, medium to large in size, round to oval in shape, and often had prominent nucleoli. All SDC tumors expressed AR. Two patients with carcinoma in (pleomorphic adenoma) showed a focal, comedo carcinoma pattern in which AR positive nuclei were observed. Other salivary gland tumors were completely negative for AR.

CONCLUSIONS

The cytologic features of high-grade adenocarcinoma with a variety of cell morphologies, flat sheets of tumor cells with a cribriform pattern, and necrotic backgrounds are characteristic findings in patients with SDC. Immunostaining for AR on cytologic smears is useful for the diagnosis of these patients.