Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

Abstract

Adenoid cystic carcinoma affects children and adults and presents at a mean age of approximately 60 years. Women are involved slightly more than men. Major or minor salivary glands may be involved, presenting as single or multiple masses. Most cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma behave as low- to intermediate-grade malignancies; however, a subset of cases with high-grade transformation (necrosis, elevated mitotic activity, and cytomorphologic atypia) are predisposed to recurrence, lymph node involvement, and distant metastasis. Adenoid cystic carcinoma is infiltrative, comprised of multiple cell types (ductal and myoepithelial), and may exhibit a variety of architectural patterns (tubular, cribriform, and solid) (Figs. 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 7.10, 7.11, 7.12, 7.13, 7.14, 7.15, 7.16, 7.17, 7.18, 7.19, 7.20, 7.21, 7.22, 7.23, 7.24, 7.25, 7.26, 7.27, 7.28, 7.29, 7.30, 7.31, 7.32, 7.33, 7.34, 7.35, 7.36 and 7.37).