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INI CET 2021 May
Most common salivary gland neoplasm in bone:
• Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is the most common malignant neoplasm observed in the major and minor salivary glands.
• It represents 29–34% of malignant tumors originating in both major and minor salivary glands.
• This carcinoma of the salivary glands accounts for 5% of all salivary gland tumors.
• The parotid gland is the most common site of occurrence.
• Intraorally, mucoepidermoid carcinoma shows a strong predilection for the palate.
Clinical Features.
• Mucoepidermoid carcinoma occurs with a slight female predilection.
• It occurs primarily in the third or fifth decades of life, with an average age of 47 years, but can occur in virtually all decades.
• It is the most common malignant salivary gland tumor of children.
• Prior exposure to ionizing radiation appears to substantially increase the risk of developing mucoepidermoid carcinoma.
• The tumor of low-grade malignancy usually appears as a slowly enlarging, painless mass which simulates the pleomorphic adenoma.
• The tumor of high-grade malignancy grows rapidly and does produce pain as an early symptom.
• Facial nerve paralysis is frequent in parotid tumors.
• The patient may also complain of trismus, drainage from the ear, dysphagia, numbness of the adjacent areas and ulceration, noted particularly in tumors of the minor salivary glands.
• The mucoepidermoid carcinoma is not encapsulated, but tends to infiltrate the surrounding tissue, and in a large percentage of cases, it metastasize to regional lymph nodes.
• Distant metastases to lung, bone, brain and subcutaneous tissues are also common.
Key concept:
Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is the most common histotype of malignant and benign salivary gland tumors, which occasionally arise within the facial bones of mandible and maxilla, besides their ordinary derivation from the major and minor salivary glands of the head and neck regions
