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Review
. 2013;13 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S48.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2482-13-s2-s48. Epub 2013 Oct 8.

Glottic-Subglottic adenoid cystic carcinoma. A case report and review of the literature

Domenico Testa, Germano Guerra, Giovanni Conzo, Michele Nunziata, Gioacchino D'Errico, Maria Siano, Gennaro Ilardi, Mario Vitale, Francesco Riccitiello, Gaetano Motta
Review

Glottic-Subglottic adenoid cystic carcinoma. A case report and review of the literature

Domenico Testa et al. BMC Surg. 2013.

Abstract

Background: Malignant tumours of minor salivary glands are uncommon, representing only 2-4% of all head and neck cancers. In the larynx, minor salivary gland tumours rarely occur and constitute less than 1% of laryngeal neoplasm. Most of the minor salivary gland tumours arise in the subglottis; however, they can also occur in the supraglottis, in the false vocal cords, aryepiglottic folds and caudal portion of the epiglottis. The most common type of malignant minor salivary gland tumour is adenoid cystic carcinoma.

Methods: We present a unusual case of adenoid cystic carcinoma of glottic-subglottic region in a 61-year-old woman. Follow-up endoscopy and laryngeal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at three years after treatment showed no recurrence of the tumour.

Results: The diagnosis of glottic-subglottic adenoid cystic carcinoma should be considered in patients who are characterized by dyspnea, cough and stridor, but do not respond to pharmacologic approach.

Conclusions: Adenoid cystic carcinoma is usually a very slow growing cancer, invested by an apparently normal laryngeal mucosa, so that it can show no clear symptoms for a long time. For these reasons the increasing number of diagnostic mistakes or late diagnosis that may be fatal in some cases.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Fiberlaryngoscopic finding that show a ACC of left vocal fold.
Figure 2
Figure 2
CT scan of larynx showing left vocal cord mass and destruction at left side of thyroid cartilage.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Total laryngectomy with functional bilateral lymph node excision of II-III-IV-V-VI level.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The figures show adenoid cystic carcinoma deeply infiltrating the laryngeal mucosa. The tumour shows a predominant cribiform pattern, and is composed of pseudocysts, filled with basophilic mucin, surrounded by basaloid cells a, b.. Areas of intra-tumoural necrosis are also present. The lesion involves the cartilage (c) and the striated muscle (d) (Hematoxylin - eosin; a: 50X; b: 100x; c:200x; d:200x)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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