Abstract
Background : The canalicular adenoma is a rare benign salivary gland tumor of the oral cavity, typically located in the buccal mucosa of the upper lip. We report herein on a case of canalicular adenoma in the buccal mucosa of the upper lip assessed with a needle aspiration cytological study.
Case : An 84-year-old female had a non-ulcerated tumor measuring 20×10 mm in the buccal mucosa of the upper lip.
Conclusion : On the aspiration cytological study, most of the tumor cells appeared to be basal cell-like nuclear aggregate, and focally columnar tumor cells with oval nuclei were seen. The tumor cells had papillary and tubular patterns and focally they were arranged in string-like or bead-like structures. At first the cytological diagnosis pointed to a suspected basal cell adenoma, whereas the histopathological diagnosis was canalicular adenoma. Then we carefully assessed the tumor taking both the cytological and histopathological appearances into consideration.
The final cytological diagnosis was canalicular adenoma, but a differential diagnosis had to be made between basal adenoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma.
