Abstract
We report a rare case of lymphoepithelioma in the subaural region. The patient was a 42-year-old male complaining of a swelling in the left subaural region. Clinical examination revealed a firm nodule measuring 50 x 37 mm. MRI findings revealed a tumor with defined margins in the left subaural region. The tumor was sharply demarcated from the parotid gland. A fine needle aspiration was perfomed, and the cytologic diagnosis was adenocarcinoma. The tumor was removed under a general anesthesia. The surgical findings revealed that the tumor had developed from the parotid gland, and the histological diagnosis was lymphoepithelioma. The cytologic diagnosis and the histological diagnosis thus differed. Lymphoepithelioma is usually distinguishable from well-differentiated adenocarcinoma but is difficult to distinguish from poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Our results suggest that lymphoepithelioma may be undiagnosable when it occurs in a rare region. However, distinguishing between lymphoepithelioma and adenocarcinoma is important for optimal treatment.
