Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (ca ex PA) is a type of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

typically found in the

parotid gland The parotid gland is a major salivary gland in many animals. In humans, the two parotid glands are present on either side of the mouth and in front of both ears. They are the largest of the salivary glands. Each parotid is wrapped around the m ...

. It arises from the

benign tumour A benign tumor is a mass of cells (tumor) that does not invade neighboring tissue or metastasize (spread throughout the body). Compared to malignant (cancerous) tumors, benign tumors generally have a slower growth rate. Benign tumors have rel ...

pleomorphic adenoma Pleomorphic adenoma (or benign mixed tumor) is a common benign salivary gland neoplasm characterised by neoplastic proliferation of epithelial (ductal) cells along with myoepithelial components, having a malignant potentiality. It is the most comm ...

. Its prognosis depends on the stage. Early tumours have essentially a benign behaviour.

Signs and symptoms

The signs and symptoms are similar to other malignant salivary gland tumours; however, it may have been preceded by an appreciable mass that was long-standing and did not appear to be growing. Findings that suggest a malignant salivary gland tumour include rapid growth, facial weakness (due to

facial nerve The facial nerve, also known as the seventh cranial nerve, cranial nerve VII, or simply CN VII, is a cranial nerve that emerges from the pons of the brainstem, controls the muscles of facial expression, and functions in the conveyance of ta ...

compression),

pain Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging Stimulus (physiology), stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sense, sensory and emotional experience associated with, or res ...

, skin ulceration, fixation of the mastoid tip and

parasthesia Paresthesia is a sensation of the skin that may feel like numbness (''hypoesthesia''), tingling, pricking, chilling, or burning. It can be temporary or chronic and has many possible underlying causes. Paresthesia is usually painless and can oc ...

Diagnosis

Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma is diagnosed by examining it under the

microscope A microscope () is a laboratory equipment, laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic ...

with consideration of the individual history. In approximately 75% of cases ca ex PAs arise in a

that is apparent when the tumour is excised. In the other approximately 25% of cases the individual had a pleomorphic adenoma excised previously and the diagnosis is made based on (1) the presence of a

carcinoma Carcinoma is a malignancy that develops from epithelial cells. Specifically, a carcinoma is a cancer that begins in a tissue that lines the inner or outer surfaces of the body, and that arises from cells originating in the endodermal, mesoder ...

, and (2) the history of a pleomorphic adenoma at that location. File:Relative incidence of parotid tumors.png, Relative incidence of parotid tumors, showing carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma at right. Updated: Jan 13, 2021
Diagrams by Mikael Häggström, MD File:Relative incidence of submandibular tumors.png, Relative incidence of submandibular tumors, showing carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma at top-right.

References

External links

{{Medical resources , DiseasesDB = , ICD10 = , ICD9 = , ICDO = , OMIM = , MedlinePlus = , eMedicineSubj = , eMedicineTopic = , MeshID = Glandular and epithelial neoplasia

Signs and symptoms

Diagnosis

See also

References

External links