A case of pleomorphic adenoma of the submandibular gland with rich arborescent cell clusters detected on cytology

Abstract

Background : Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most common of salivary gland tumors. We report a case of PA with the fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology findings of richly arborescent cell clusters without mucinous stromal components in the background and tumor cells showing nuclear grooves and intranuclear inclusions.
Case : A 40-year-old woman was admitted with a one-year history of left submandibular swelling. Neck ultrasonography showed a well-defined mass measuring 17.4 mm×13.5 mm in size in the left submandibular gland. Cytology showed large and richly arborescent cell clusters including epithelial cells. Some tumor cells showed nuclear grooves and intranuclear inclusions. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of PA. The resected tumor consisted largely of solid components with a small mucinous stromal component.
Conclusion : When a difficult case of salivary gland tumor cytology is encountered, it is important to bear in mind PA in the differential diagnosis.