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Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1991 May;44(5):419–423. doi: 10.1136/jcp.44.5.419

Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma of salivary glands.

R H Simpson 1, T J Clarke 1, P T Sarsfield 1, P G Gluckman 1
PMCID: PMC496876  PMID: 2045502

Abstract

Four cases of epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma of the salivary glands arose as painless masses in patients over 60 years old, three in the parotid and one in the submandibular gland. Histologically, all the tumours were composed of small ducts with a double cell lining surrounded by a basement membrane. The inner cells were epithelial and the outer cells myoepithelial, the latter usually possessing clear cytoplasm. There was a variable degree of intervening hyalinised stroma. All the tumours were partly encapsulated, but also displayed local invasiveness. One of the tumours also showed areas of dedifferentiation when it later recurred and metastasised. The other three were apparently cured by initial excision, with adjuvant radiotherapy in one instance. In the past this tumour has been described as clear cell adenoma, and it was only recently that its true malignant nature, albeit low grade, was recognised. Reports of epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma are still relatively few, with only one case described from Britain. It is recommended that this histologically distinct neoplasm deserves wider recognition.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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