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Poorly‐differentiated adenoid cystic carcinoma: Cytologic appearance in fine‐needle aspirates of distant metastases
Author(s) -
Yu Gordon H.,
Caraway Nancy P.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
diagnostic cytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.417
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1097-0339
pISSN - 8755-1039
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0339(199611)15:4<296::aid-dc9>3.0.co;2-c
Subject(s) - medicine , adenoid cystic carcinoma , fine needle aspiration , pathology , malignancy , cytopathology , salivary gland , adenoid , cytology , neoplasm , carcinoma , biopsy
Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a primary salivary‐gland neoplasm which typically yields characteristic cytomorphology upon fine‐needle aspiration (FNA). We report on the FNA findings of a case of ACC metastatic to the liver which demonstrated a predominantly solid, poorly‐differentiated pattern, an unusual but well‐recognized subtype associated with a poor clinical outcome. The FNA findings in 7 additional cases of ACC metastatic to distant sites were also reviewed, with 4 cases displaying a prominent poorly‐differentiated component. These findings suggest that, although not commonly recognized in salivary‐gland FNAs, the poorly‐differentiated pattern of ACC does occur in metastatic deposits and should be recognized as such, thereby preventing a needless search for a second primary malignancy. Diagn Cytopathol 1996;15: 296–300. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.