A case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the lower lip

Abstract

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a neoplasm originating from the salivary glands. The most common location is the parotid gland in the major salivary glands and the palate in the minor salivary glands.
Recently, we encountered a mucoepidermoid carcinoma occurring in the lower lip. The patient, a 43-year-old woman, complained of a mass in the left lower lip. Intraoral examination revealed a soy-bean sized, elastic soft, painless swelling. For treatment, the tumor was surgically removed along with the surrounding tissue. Histopathologically, the lesion was a low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma, and the tumor tissue was composed of mucous cells, epidermoid type cells, and intermediate cells.
The prognosis was fairly good after surgical treatment, and there are no signs of local recurrence or distinct metastasis at present.
We reported this case together with a discussion based on the literature.