Cribriform adenocarcinoma of the tongue: case report and review of the literature

Cribriform adenocarcinoma of the tongue (CAT), also called cribriform adenocarcinoma of the tongue and minor salivary gland (CATMSG) is a rare, locally invasive, and poorly recognized tumor, typically occurring on the base of the tongue. There are many aspects that are not clear about it. Many surgeons, oncologists and even pathologists do not know enough or lack of understanding of it. In order to help clinicians raise awareness of the disease, we recorded the diagnosis and treatment of a 73-year-old woman with a tumor located in the tongue base. We discuss the differential diagnosis of related diseases in combination with the existing literature and our previous case, and summarize the clinical experience.