A case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma originating in the anterior lingual gland

Abstract

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a salivary gland tumor. In the major salivary glands, it arises in the parotid gland. In the minor salivary glands, this tumor occurs in the palatine glands. However, mucoepidermoid carcinoma rarely arises in the anterior lingual gland. We report a case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma originating in the anterior lingual gland. A 45-year-old man complained of a mass on the sublingual surface of the anterior lingual gland. The tumor was excised, including some of the surrounding healthy tissue. The histopathological diagnosis was a well-differentiated mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Postoperatively, there has been no local recurrence or distant metastasis.