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.
Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea.
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Kim
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Yoon
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Kim
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Gong
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*