title: Schwannoma including epithelial elements mimicking pleomorphic adenoma of the submandibular gland on fine-needle cytology: The first case report.
abstract: Although most salivary gland tumors can be diagnosed accurately on fine-needle aspiration, cytological evaluation of spindle cell lesions, including schwannomas, still poses a challenge. In salivary gland aspirates, the most important mimickers of schwannomas are the common pleomorphic adenomas/mixed tumors since these may yield abundant spindle-shaped myoepithelial cells and only scant epithelial cells. Therefore, in spindle cell-rich aspirates from the head and neck, diligent search for epithelial cells is recommended. Their presence traditionally favors pleomorphic adenoma and argues against a schwannoma. Herein, however, we report, for the first time, a schwannoma with epithelial elements (glandular schwannoma) in the submandibular gland, demonstrating that the presence of epithelial cells in a spindle cell-rich aspirate may not always exclude a schwannoma.
authors.affiliation: John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tarjan
mesh_terms: D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000473:pathology
keywords: fine-needle aspirate; glandular schwannoma; pseudoglandular schwannoma; spindle cell lesions; submandibular gland