Two Unusual Cases of Acinic Cell Carcinoma: Role of Cytology with Histological Corelation

• Main Authors: Rumpa Das, Gorakh Nath, Sangita Bohara, Aarti Biswajit Bhattacharya, Vivek Gupta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: JCDR Research and Publications Private Limited 2016-08-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research
• Subjects: fine needle aspiration cytology; heterotopic salivary gland tissue; parotid gland; salivary gland
• Online Access: https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/8374/19753_CE[Ra1]_F(GH)_PF1(ASPRAK)_PFA(AK).pdf

Acinic Cell Carcinoma (AcCC) is a slow growing, malignant tumour of salivary glands, predominantly found in parotid gland and rarely in submandibular gland or minor salivary glands. Rarely, the tumour can arise in Heterotopic Salivary Gland Tissue (HSGT) and can present bilaterally. Synchronous contralateral tumour or tumour arising in HSGT is easily missed clinically. Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) is an important preoperative diagnostic investigation in cases of AcCC. Sometimes its diagnosis on cytology is very difficult and it is easily misdiagnosed as benign, affecting the long term prognosis. Here, we present two unusual cases of AcCC. One developed in HSGT and the other was synchronous bilateral. Though the histological features of AcCC appear to be characteristic but clinical suspicion and cytological features have been described as equally important for preoperative diagnosis. Present cases highlight the importance of a cytopathologist who plays an important role in its preliminary diagnosis.