title: Carcinosarcoma of salivary glands with unusual stromal components. Report of two cases and review of the literature.
abstract: Carcinosarcomas are rare neoplasms that exhibit heterologous malignant epithelial and stromal components. We report two cases of salivary gland carcinosarcoma with immunohistochemical analysis and clinical follow-up that provide insights into the pathogenesis and behavior of these tumors. In one case, a 51-year-old black woman had a 15-year history of a hard, asymptomatic, infraauricular mass that recently had undergone rapid growth. The tumor showed adenocarcinoma and osteosarcoma. She died 9 months after diagnosis. In another case, a 78-year-old white woman had a large soft palate mass that had been present for several years and had recently caused dysphagia. The tumor showed adenocarcinoma and leiomyosarcoma. The patient is alive at 9 months follow-up. Although malignant epithelial and stromal components characterize carcinosarcomas, immunohistochemical studies suggest that both elements are derived from a common precursor cell, possibly of myoepithelial origin. These cases support this concept and perhaps suggest a spectrum of differentiation that this precursor cell may exhibit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Tojo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hammadeh
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Raslan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000473:pathology; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000473:pathology