Kyste parotidien rétentionnel révélateur d’un carcinome mucoépidermoïde

Parotid Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma Mimicking a Large Mucocele

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a malign tumor involving the parotid gland and minor salivary glands. Parotid pure cystic mucoepidermoid carcinoma can also masquerade mucocele, and hence, histopathological examination is crucial to distinguish the 2. Herein, the authors report a patient of mucoepidermoid carcinoma presenting as an asymptomatic mucocele-like cystic parotid mass. A 69-year-old female presented with cystic parotid mass; her examination findings and diagnostic imaging were consistent with that of mucocele. Histological examination revealed mucoepidermoid carcinoma. This case indicates that parotid mucocele-like cysts should be included in the differential diagnosis of malign salivary gland tumors.

Occult Neoplasm (Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma) in a Parotid Cyst

A parotid cyst is a well-documented clinical entity. Here we report a case of low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma as an occult neoplasm; a rare presentation of a parotid cyst in a 35-year-old female patient who presented with well-defined small cystic swelling of right parotid gland; cytologically consistent with a simple parotid gland cyst. The purpose of this article is to create awareness about existence of an occult neoplasm (low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma in this case) in a small simple parotid cyst in a young female an unusual presentation and management of parotid cyst.

How to cite this article

Kulkarni AS, Karnik P. Occult Neoplasm (mucoepidermoid carcinoma) in a Parotid Cyst. Int J Head and Neck Surg 2012;3(1):53-55.