Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in Warthin's Tumor: A Diagnostic tool

Cytomorphological findings in diagnosis of Warthin tumor

“…WTs constitute nearly 5-10% of all salivary gland tumors and clinically present as painless masses unless infected. They are mostly seen in smoking male patients in the 5th and 6th decades [2,3,[6][7][8]. WT is multicentric in 12-20% of patients and bilateral in 5-14% cases [2,3,7].…”

“…Smokers show an increased tendency for WT. Retrograde flow of substances (or their excretion) from tobacco smoke into salivary ducts increases the risk of tumor formation [2,3,[8][9][10].…”

“…Warthin tumor (WT) is the second most common benign neoplasm of the parotid gland [1]. It is located almost exclusively in the parotid gland and may occur bilaterally or as multiple lesions [2,3]. Morphologically the tumors are usually cystic, and cysts are composed of lymphoid stroma lined by double rows of epithelial cells with oncocytic papillae [1].…”

Answer to quiz, discussion, and conclusion

“…Although some of these tumours show characteristic features enabling differentiation from non-neoplastic lesions in cytology, some show overlapping features. Therefore, differentiating salivary oncocytic lesions need careful interpretation of cytology and clinicopatholocial and radiological correlation [4]. Nodular oncocytic hyperplasia (NOH) is a rare salivary gland lesion characterized by multiple, non-neoplastic, nodular proliferations of oncocytes.…”

“…The aspiration comprises murky fluid and smears contain sheets of oncocytic cells with minimal atypia. The characteristic feature helpful in differentiating this from other oncocytic lesions is the presence of lymphocyte rich background [4]. Pleomorphic adenoma with oncocytic changes is another differential diagnosis for oncocytic cell rich cytology of the parotid gland [8].…”