Adenocarcinoma is a relatively rare neoplasm in the submandibular gland. When poorly differentiated, it is difficult to diagnose differentially from other carcinomas, including carcinoma in pleomorphic adenoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, and undifferentiated carcinoma in the salivary gland. To differentiate a salivary gland tumor arising from the left submandibular gland of a 83-year-old-male patient, we performed an immunohistochemical examination using total keratin(TK), S-100 protein, secretory component (SC), actin, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), lactoferrin, vimentin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and amylase. The tumor reacted positively to TK, S-100 protein, SC, actin, EMA, vimentin and lactoferrin. We reviewed the Japanese literature on 15 cases of adenocarcinoma and 5 cases of carcinoma in pleomorphic adenoma arising from the major salivary glands and discussed the relationships between immunohistochemical features and histogenesis.