Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the external auditory canal. A case report with diagnosis by fine needle aspiration.
BACKGROUND
Although the cytologic findings of adenoid cystic carcinoma have been reported frequently, fine needle aspiration diagnosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the external auditory canal has not been reported before in the English-language literature.


METHODS
A 70-year-old female presented with a mass occluding the external auditory canal. Fine needle aspiration cytology was performed. The smears showed hyaline globules surrounded by tumor cells. The tumor cells had uniform, round, hyperchromatic nuclei, visible nucleoli and little cytoplasm. Based on these cytomorphologic features, diagnosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma was rendered and then confirmed by histopathologic examination.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first cytologic report of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the external auditory canal, a rare site for this tumor.
Mohan
Harsh
H
Departments of Pathology and of Ear, Nose and Throat, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India.
Handa
Uma
U
Amanjit
Kotwal
Sumedha A
SA
Dass
Arjun
A
D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000473:pathology*; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000473:pathology*; D004428:Ear Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans