Spindle cell carcinoma of the parotid- A rare case entity with review of literature

Abstract

Spindle cell carcinoma of the salivary gland is very rare. Spindle cell carcinoma is a variant of squamous cell carcinoma with an aggressive course. We present a rare case of spindle cell carcinoma of the parotid in a 54-year-old male, who presented with a rapidly enlarging mass in the right parotid gland. Histopathologically, the tumour was composed of foci of squamous cell carcinoma with sheets of malignant squamoid cells and spindle cell sarcoma with scattered pleomorphic, plump to spindle-shaped cells with foci of bone formation. Immunohistochemical studies revealed cytokeratin positivity and vimentin negativity in the squamous cell carcinoma component with focal positivity for epithelial membrane antigen and negative expression of cytokeratin and vimentin positivity in the sarcomatoid component. A final diagnosis of primary spindle cell carcinoma of the parotid gland was given. Our patient is alive and well with no clinical or radiological evidence of recurrence or metastatic disease after 12 months of follow up period.