Salivary Duct Carcinoma : Introduction

Comments:
Salivary duct carcinoma (SDCa) is a high grade malignant neoplasm arising from the excretory ducts of salivary gland and represents less than 10% of all salivary gland malignancies. It is more common in males than females and affects sixth through eighth decades of life. It most commonly affects Stenson's duct within parotid gland; other sites of involvement include submandibular gland, minor salivary glands and rarely sublingual gland, larynx and paranasal sinuses. It often presents as a rapidly enlarging parotid mass with or without pain and facial nerve involvement.

Histologically, SDCa resembles ductal carcinoma of breast and may appear as intraductal or infiltrating neoplasm. Variety of growth patterns can be seen, including cell nests, lobules with comedo-type necrosis (shown here), solid, cribriform, cystic and papillary.