Spinal metastasis of submandibular gland adenoid cystic carcinoma: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor of the salivary glands, with pulmonary metastasis being the most common site of distant metastasis.


METHODS
The author reports an unusual case of intradural adenoid cystic carcinoma metastasis of the lumbar spine in a patient with recent prostate carcinoma suffering from progressive back pain. The primary submandibular tumor was resected 7 years before the appearance of the spine metastasis, and a prostatic carcinoma had been detected 1 year before. The patient died of systemically advanced disease a few months after surgical decompression.


CONCLUSIONS
Late submandibular gland adenoid cystic carcinoma recurrence may present as an intradural lumbar spine metastasis. The case further displays difficulty in diagnosis and differentiation of metastasis in case of metachronous tumors.
Birkeland
Soeren
S
Dronninglund Hospital, Kvaerndrup, Denmark.
D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D013365:Submandibular Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*