Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Arising in the Inferior Orbit Without Evidence of Lacrimal Gland Involvement

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the orbit without lacrimal gland involvement and with intracranial extension: A case report

We present a 76-year-old female with a 6-year history of decreased vision in the right eye and right-sided facial neuralgia. She had a T1 isointense and T2 isointense enhancing lesion in the right orbit and the middle cranial fossa on MRI examination. Granulomatous disease or meningioma was suspected, however, after removal, the tumor was identified by pathology as adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). The tumor has no radiological and clinical lacrimal grand involvement. ACC shows a slow and indolent growth pattern but is associated with poor long-term outcomes, mainly due to perineural invasion, local control failure, and distant metastasis. This case highlights the importance of a pathologic diagnosis and early intervention in similar presentations.

Intraorbital and intracranial extension of adenoid cystic carcinoma without clinical or radiological lacrimal gland involvement

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) is a rare epithelial neoplasm of the head and neck, most commonly found in the salivary glands. Orbital AdCC is an uncommon clinical entity arising from the lacrimal glands, however primary orbital AdCC has been previously described in a small number of case reports. The exact origin of the neoplasm with uninvolved lacrimal gland in the orbit is unknown, however it may arise from ectopic lacrimal or salivary gland tissue, or extension from nearby epithelial structures. We describe the clinical characteristics, investigations and management of a 55-year-old man presenting with vertical diplopia, found to have left posterior orbital AdCC invading the skull base with intracranial extension involving the inferotemporal fossa, pterygopalatine fossa, left carotid artery, cavernous sinus and temporal lobe dura, without clinical or radiological lacrimal gland involvement or systemic metastases.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the orbit with bilateral cavernous sinus extension: A case report

Introduction and importance

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is an uncommon malignant epithelial tumor of the salivary and lacrimal glands. Orbital ACC is rare, originating commonly from the lacrimal gland, with only a few cases reported without lacrimal gland involvement. Deep orbital ACC may be associated with extension into skull base structures, and further intracranial invasion.

Case presentation

We report a 47-year-old gentleman who presented with insidious onset of bilateral proptosis, left ophthalmoplegia, and loss of vision. Imaging revealed left orbital infiltrative mass with intracranial invasion and bilateral cavernous sinus extension. The lacrimal gland was not involved clinically nor radiologically. Histopathology showed ACC with classical cribriform pattern. There was no evidence of primary source of tumor or metastasis.

Discussion

ACC of the orbit commonly originates from the lacrimal gland. Only a few cases of orbital ACC without lacrimal gland involvement were found in English literature. Workup for our patient did not reveal a primary source of tumor. Tumor may have risen from ectopic orbital lacrimal gland tissue, extension from non-orbital sites, or through perineural or hematogenous spread. Only one case of bilateral cavernous sinus extension has been previously reported. Treatment for advanced orbital ACC is exenteration in most cases. However, due to the advanced nature of disease in our patient, palliative radiotherapy was the treatment of choice.

Conclusion

Orbital ACC of non-lacrimal origin is rare and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Early recognition and treatment are key for preventing organ and life-threatening complications such as advanced intracranial spread.

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Deep orbital adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is very rare.

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Orbital ACC cases that are not originating from the lacrimal gland have been reported.

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Such cases have worse prognosis due to early intracranial invasion.

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We report the second case of orbital ACC with bilateral cavernous sinus invasion.

A Rare Case of Orbital Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Mimicking as Optic Nerve Glioma

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is an uncommon epithelial cell tumour that usually originates from glands. They arise from the upper respiratory tract, lungs, mammary glands, and skin, but most commonly from the salivary glands and lacrimal glands. Our article reports a 53-year-old individual presenting with a history of diminution of visual acuity over the past one and a half months, also associated with a right-sided headache and throbbing eye pain not relieved by medication. Examination revealed right axial proptosis, ptosis, and visual acuity of 6/36, right afferent pupillary defect (RAPD), restriction of ocular movements in supraduction, dextroelevation, and abduction. The fellow eye was completely normal. MRI revealed an enhancing lesion in the retrobulbar area of the right orbit indicative of optic nerve glioma of stage 2. The patient underwent orbito-zygomatic craniotomy with subtotal excision of the mass by a neurosurgeon. Following surgery, histopathological examination of the excised tumour revealed features consistent with adenoid cystic carcinoma. On the third post-operative day, the subject's vision improved to counting fingers at 3 metres, and extraocular movements were regained.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma presenting with bilateral orbital extension from the soft palate

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare neoplasm of secretory epithelium that most commonly occurs in the fifth and sixth decades of life. It is characterized by high recurrence rates and poor response to chemotherapy, In the orbit, ACC usually presents as a lacrimal gland mass. We describe the rare case of a 70-year-old woman who presented with pain during mastication and bilateral facial numbness in the cranial nerve V2 distribution. She was found to have adenoid cystic carcinoma involving the orbits bilaterally without lacrimal gland involvement and without a clear primary tumor. Imaging suggested that the tumor arose from the soft palate by extension along cranial nerves V2 and V3. The patient was treated with radiation therapy with some degree of radiographic improvement 27 months after diagnosis. This case emphasizes the importance of considering adenoid cystic carcinoma when evaluating orbital tumors sparing the lacrimal gland. We also suggest the possibility of an oropharyngeal source with anterograde intracranial extension in cases of putative primary orbital ACC without lacrimal gland involvement.

Orbital Apex Metastasis from Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma: Acute Loss of Vision and Subsequent Recovery with the Radiation

Orbital apex metastasis from adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is rare. We present a patient with known metastatic ACC presented with a rapidly declining vision with visual acuity oculus dexter (OD) equal to counting fingers at two feet. On imaging, she was found to have a right orbital apex tumor causing compressive optic neuropathy. She received the intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). After completion of the therapy, she had regained essentially a full vision with visual acuity OD of 20/30 without corrective lenses. The treatment rationale and pertinent literature are discussed in this article.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland: CT and MRI findings

Purpose

To highlight the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma.

Methods

We reviewed the clinical records and imaging findings of 17 patients who were histopathologically diagnosed with primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland between August 1998 and November 2010. Orbital CT scans were performed in 17 patients and MRI scans were obtained in 13 patients.

Results

On the CT scans, out of 4 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma, 3 showed characteristic features of a soft tissue mass with poorly enhancing areas representing cystic changes, and 4 of 17 cases had contiguous bony erosion. On the MRI scans, all cases had mixed signal intensity on T2-weighted images, and 6 cases showed poorly enhancing areas.

Conclusions

Enhanced CT and MRI (including T2-weighted) are helpful in the diagnosis of primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland.