Fine needle aspiration diagnosis of malignant mixed tumor (carcinosarcoma) arising in pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary gland. A case report.
BACKGROUND
True malignant mixed tumor (carcinosarcoma), composed of carcinoma and sarcoma components, is rare in salivary gland neoplasms. Even rarer is a true malignant mixed tumor arising in the pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary gland.


METHODS
A 64-year-old male was admitted with left pharyngeal pain. Head and neck magnetic resonance imaging revealed a left parapharyngeal mass; fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology through the oral cavity was performed.


CONCLUSIONS
The aspirate presented a mixture of large, pleomorphic, vacuolated, single or multinucleated cells in a mucoid matrix and clusters of adenocarcinoma cells. Additionally, occasional benign glandular cells were noted. A cytologic diagnosis of malignant mixed tumor arising in the pleomorphic adenoma of the deep lobe of the parotid gland was made and confirmed by the surgically resected specimen.
Kim
T
T
Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea.
Yoon
G S
GS
Kim
O
O
Gong
G
G
D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002813:Chondrosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*