title: Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the parotid gland with apparent metastasis of epidermoid elements to cervical lymph nodes.
abstract: A case of sarcomatoid carcinoma of the parotid gland is described in a 47-year-old male. Despite radical surgery and postoperative chemoradiation therapy, a distant metastasis occurred 1 month after treatment. The primary site was composed of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma intermingled with spindle-shaped malignant mesenchymal cells. Immunohistochemical studies showed that keratin was present in both epithelial cells and spindle cells, whereas vimentin was present in spindle cells and absent in epithelial cells. Two lymph nodes were metastasized by the epidermoid component. The origin of the sarcomatoid component and the differential diagnosis from malignant mixed tumours are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Linkou, Taiwan. bigmac@adm.cgmh.org.tw
authors.forename: Shiang-Fu
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: I-How
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chun-Ta
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Tsung-Ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kam-Fai
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed