A retrospective study of nonneoplastic and neoplastic disorders of the salivary glands

The spectrum of major and minor salivary gland disorders varies widely. Epidemiological data on some injury categories are rare and often not up-to-date. This study aims to analyze epidemiological data using clinical, paraclinical, and histopathological parameters. Study was carried out for 5 years on the nonneoplastic and tumoral pathology of the salivary glands. Data were statistically analyzed using the appropriate parameters. Data analysis according to the biological behavior of the lesions revealed great heterogeneity. Statistically significant correlations were observed between the type of injury, age (P = .002) and gender (0.033). The environment of origin of the patients as well as the comorbidities reflected in most cases the nature of the process. Associations were also observed between the biological behavior of the lesions and the hemicranial topography (P = .019), the type of salivary gland (P = .024), and the surgical technique used (P < .001). Most cases were identified in the major salivary glands, often in the parotid. The most common diseases are represented by nonspecific chronic sialadenitis (nonneoplastic lesion), pleomorphic adenoma and Warthin tumor (benign tumors), mucoepidermoid carcinoma (malignant tumor), and squamous carcinoma (secondary tumor). They presented axial diameters between 2 to 95 mm. The most used curative technique was subtotal excision with facial nerve preservation. In conclusion, the study highlighted the main epidemiological aspects of salivary gland disorders. Some data agree with the specialty literature, and particular aspects are also observed. Therefore, this research is useful both in the medical and research fields.

Novel Discovery of the Somatostatin Receptor (SSTR2) in Pleomorphic Adenomas via Immunohistochemical Analysis of Tumors of the Salivary Glands

Reliable preoperative diagnosis between salivary gland tumor entities is difficult. In this monocentric retrospective study, we examined the somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) status of salivary gland tumors after salivary gland tumor resection via immunohistochemistry (IHC), and stains were compared in analogy to the HER2 mamma scale. A total of 42.3% of all pleomorphic adenoma (PA) tumors (42 of 99, 95% confidence interval 32.5-52.8%) demonstrated ≥20% of cells displaying the SSTR2 as compared to just 1% of all other tumors (1/160, 95% CI 0.02-3.4%). The other tumor was a neuroendocrine carcinoma. PA had a higher intensity of SSTR2 staining, with 90.9% staining ≥ an intensity of 2 (moderate). Tumors with an intensity of SSTR2 expression equal to or greater than 2 had an 89.9% likelihood of being a PA (95% CI: 82.2-95.0%, AUC: 0.928). Only one Warthin tumor demonstrated a 'strong' SSTR2 staining intensity. No Warthin tumor showed a percentage of cells staining for SSTR2 above ≥20%. This result demonstrates consistent and strong expression of SSTR2 in PAs as compared to Warthin tumors, which may allow physicians to utilize radioligand-somatostatin analog PET CT/MR imaging to diagnose the PA. SSTR2 positivity, if shown to be clinically relevant, may allow peptide receptor radionuclide therapy in the future.

Distinguishing Parotid Polymorphic Adenoma and Warthin Tumor Based on the CT Radiomics Nomogram: A Multicenter Study

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

To develop, validate, and test a comprehensive radiomics prediction model to distinguish parotid polymorphic adenomas (PAs) and warthin tumors (WTs) using clinical data and enhanced computed tomography (CT) from a multicenter cohort.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 267 patients with PAs (n =172) or WTs (n = 95) from two hospitals were randomly divided into training (n =188) and validation (n =79) datasets. Radiomics features were extracted from the enhanced CT (arterial phase) followed by dimensionality reduction. Clinical and CT features were combined to establish a prediction model. A radiomics nomogram was constructed by combining RadScore and clinical factors. Moreover, an independent dataset of 31 patients from a third hospital was employed to test the model. Thus, the performance of the nomogram, radiomics signature, and clinical models was evaluated on the training, validation, and the independent testing datasets. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to compare the performance, and decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the model.

RESULTS

A total of 15 radiomics features were selected from CT data as the imaging markers to generate RadScores, and demographics or clinical data like age, sex, and smoking factors combined with RadScores were used to distinguish PAs and WTs based on multivariate logistic regression analyses. The results showed that radiomics nomograms combining clinical factors and RadScores provided satisfactory predictive values for distinguishing PAs from WTs, with areas under ROC curves (AUC) of 0.979, 0.922, and 0.903 for the training, validation, and the independent testing datasets, respectively. Decision curve analysis revealed that the radiomics nomogram outperformed the clinical factor models in terms of accuracy and effectiveness.

CONCLUSION

CT-based radiomics nomograms combining RadScores and clinical factors can be used to identify PAs and WTs, which may help tumor management by clinicians.

Long-Term Outcomes of Radiofrequency Ablation for Treatment of Cystic Warthin Tumors versus Solid Warthin Tumors

Background: To describe the long-term outcomes of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of parotid Warthin tumors that have different consistencies and locations. Methods: We reviewed ten patients with Warthin tumors undergoing RFA treatment from 2016 to 2019. The mean follow-up was 24.3 ± 13.1 months (range 7–42 months). Results: RFA was performed on 11 tumors in ten patients. Cystic tumors (n = 4) had better volume reduction ratios (VRR) than solid tumors (n = 7) at month one and month six, following RFA (77.9% vs. 47.3%, 95.1% vs. 80.6%, respectively, p = 0.003). Tumors in both superficial lobes and deep lobes (n = 7) were larger than tumors in superficial lobes alone (n = 4), though there was no difference in VRR after treatment. All residual tumors were found in superficial lobes. There was no increase in residual tumor size. Every patient showed marked cosmetic improvements, with visible tumors becoming non-palpable masses. Conclusions: RFA is a safe and effective treatment for Warthin tumors, with better volume reduction in cystic tumors. Results remained satisfying over the long-term for all residual tumors found in superficial lobes, making it easier for re-intervention if necessary.

Warthin-Like Variant of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: An Uncommon Variant

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is one of the most common thyroid malignancy with various histologic variants. Acknowledging the correct histological variant of PTC helps to know about the tumor's nature and prognosis. The Warthin-like variant of papillary thyroid (WLPTC), a newly described histologic variant of PTC, is relatively uncommon. A 16-year-old female presented with complaints of painful thyroid swelling for two years. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) from the lobes showed lymphocytic thyroiditis features with Hurthle cell change. Sections from the left lobe revealed a diagnosis of a Warthin‑like variant of PTC without nodal metastasis. WLPTC is a rare variant having a favorable outcome due to the absence of lymph node metastasis, extra-thyroidal extension, and a low recurrence rate. The correct cytological and histomorphological features are of utmost importance to render the diagnosis of WLPTC for better management.

The Role of FNAC in the Diagnosis and Management of Warthin Tumour: Analysis of 74 Cases

Introduction  After pleomorphic adenoma, Warthin tumor gets its popularity as the second most common benign neoplasm of the parotid gland. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is the most cost-effective and minimally-invasive way to determine the histological character of a parotid gland tumor. Objective  To determine the accuracy of FNAC in the diagnosis of Warthin Tumour. Methods  A retrospective study conducted between 2014 and 2018. Out of 243 FNACs performed for parotid lesions, a histopathological correlation was established in 74 cases to reveal the accuracy of FNAC in the diagnosis of Warthin tumor. Results  A total of 243 FNACs of parotid lesions were performed, and a histopathological correlation was established in 74 (30.4%) cases. Later on, we confirmed that 16 (21.6%) out of these 74 patients had cases of Warthin tumor. In total, 15 (20.3%) out of those 74 cases were confirmed as Warthin tumors on the initial cytology, which revealed a true positive concordance between the cytology and the final histological diagnosis; 55/74 (74%) were true negative results; on the other hand, 1/74 (1.4%) was a false negative, and 3/74 (4.1%) were false positive results. The sensitivity of the FNAC in the diagnosis of Warthin tumor was of 93%, while the specificity was of 94.8%, and the accuracy, of 94.6%. Conclusion  In the present study, FNAC had a high diagnostic accuracy, reaching 94%.

Risk interrelationship among multiple primary tumors: A case report and review of literature

RATIONALE

Along with advanced management in oncology, great progress has been recently achieved in the studies of multiple primary tumors. Several reports have studied the coexistence between lymphoma and either renal cell carcinoma (RCC) or Warthin tumor. However, the level of coexistence between these cases remains unclear due to the absence of a distinct link between them.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We present a unique case of multiple primary tumors (lymphoma, RCC, and Warthin tumor) in an 80-year-old man and a review of the literature on the coexistence of RCC with lymphoma and lymphoma with Warthin tumor.

DIAGNOSIS

With a history of RCC, the patient had a freely movable lump under his left ear, and the pathological report indicated Hodgkin lymphoma and Warthin tumor.

INTERVENTION

RCC and Warthin tumor of the patient were surgically treated, followed by 2 cycles (14 days per cycle) of Epirubicin 40 mg day 1, Bleomycin 8 mg day 1, Vincristine 2 mg day 1, and Dacarbazine 500 mg day 1. The chemotherapy protocol was then changed to Epirubicin 40 mg day 1, Vincristine 2 mg day 1, and Dacarbazine 500 mg day 1 for 7 cycles.

OUTCOMES

After the last day of chemotherapy, the patient showed a complete response.

LESSONS

To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first to report a case of multiple primary tumors with a complete response. For their early detection, favorable prognosis, and correlation identification, we suggest a transitive relation between these coexisting tumors. Therefore, similar studies should be conducted.

Educational Case: Head and Neck Neoplasia: Salivary Gland Tumors

The following fictional case is intended as a learning tool within the Pathology Competencies for Medical Education (PCME), a set of national standards for teaching pathology. These are divided into three basic competencies: Disease Mechanisms and Processes, Organ System Pathology, and Diagnostic Medicine and Therapeutic Pathology. For additional information, and a full list of learning objectives for all three competencies, see http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2374289517715040.

Cytological features of the Warthin-like variant of salivary mucoepidermoid carcinoma

Warthin-like mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a recently proposed variant of musoepidermoid carcinoma. Histologically, it is characterized by its close resemblance to Warthin tumor, including dense lymphocytic infiltration, flattened intermediate epithelium resembling squamous metaplasia, and cystic change. Given its histologic similarity to Warthin tumor, confirmatory testing for MAML2 rearrangement is often required for this diagnosis. Here we present the first cytologic reports of two 53-year-old female patients with parotid masses. In both cases, the fine needle aspirations showed fragments of bland epithelium with a squamous appearance, mucinous cyst content, and focal lymphocytic background. Neither frank keratinization nor mucinous cells were identified in the smears. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) study confirmed MAML2 rearrangement on the resection specimens in both. Other cytologic differential diagnoses, including Warthin tumor with metaplasia, lymphadenoma, and lymphoepithelial cyst, were briefly discussed.

The association of warthin tumor with salivary ductal inclusions in intra and periparotid lymph nodes

A predominant theory of the much debated histogenesis of Warthin tumor (WT) is that it arises from heterotopic salivary ductal inclusions (SDI) in parotid lymph nodes (LN). If this were the case, we might expect to see an increased number of SDI in the lymph nodes of patients with WT compared to controls. To test this, we compared the prevalence of SDI in patients with WT versus those with pleomorphic adenoma (PA). Cases of WT and PA were retrieved from the case files of the Department of Pathology at the QEII Health Science Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada. We then compared the prevalence of SDI in parotid LN between patients diagnosed with WT versus PA. 46 WT and 52 PA met our inclusion criteria. WT was significantly associated with an older age at surgery (62.5 years vs 50.2 years, p = 0.001). 71.7 % of WT and 32.7 % of PA had inclusions in any LN. The presence of inclusion is a significant predictor for WT versus PA (p = 0.019). Where smoking status was available, 92.5 % of WT patients were smokers/ex-smokers, versus. 55.1 % of PA (p = 0.034 for current smokers). Among PA, 44 % of smokers had inclusions compared with 22.7 % of non-smokers. SDIs are more frequent in parotid LN from patients with WT than PA. The high proportion of smokers among WT patients is consistent with prior studies. The results support the hypothesis that WT arises from SDIs. Individuals with more SDIs may be predisposed to WT.

Intraductal carcinoma of salivary gland (so-called low-grade cribriform cystadenocarcinoma) arising in an intraparotid lymph node

Since the first description of an entirely intraductal epithelial proliferation of salivary gland by Chen in 1983 as an "intraductal carcinoma", there have been several dozen reported cases with the same and various additional names including "low-grade salivary duct carcinoma", "low-grade cribriform cystadenocarcinoma" and "carcinoma in situ" of salivary gland. These refer to a combination of nests and cysts of varying size formed by a cellular proliferation resembling atypical ductal hyperplasia or ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast. The lesions are generally entirely intraductal with low, intermediate or high-grade dysplasia. Occasional benign tumors of salivary gland, particularly Warthin tumor and rare salivary carcinomas may arise within an intraparotid lymph node. In addition, intraparotid lymph nodes are a routine location for metastatic disease. A case of a 59-year-old female with a parotid mass is described, which grossly had the appearance of a Warthin tumor. Microscopically, it was an entirely intranodal proliferation of cells with diffuse AE1/AE3 and S100 positivity. The nests and cysts were completely surrounded by a rim of non-neoplastic myoepithelial cells, which were positive for CK14, p63, SMA, MSA and calponin. The tumor cells were negative for these markers. The cells were only focally positive for AR and BRST-2. They showed negligible MIB-1 staining. This report describes, for the first time, an entirely intranodal location for a low-grade intraductal carcinoma (so-called low-grade cribriform cystadenocarcinoma).