Salivary gland type tumours of the lung

Benign

Monomorphic adenoma2, oncocytoma1,4, myoepithelioma3 and adenomyoepithelioma5 are extremely rare primary lung tumours

Variable behaviour

Pleomorphic adenoma

Malignant

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma and epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma all occur in the lung and resemble the corresponding salivary gland tumours. Other malignant salivary gland type tumours have occasionally been reported from the bronchi. These include acinic cell tumour, carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma and malignant endobronchial myxoid tumour.

Both myoepithelioma and malignant mixed tumour have been reported arising from pulmonary hamartoma.

References

1 Cwierzyk TA, Glasberg SS, Virshup MA, et al. Pulmonary oncocytoma. Report of a case with cytologic, histologic and electron microscopic study. Acta Cytol 1985; 29:620-3

2 Shirasaki A, Hirakata Y, Kitamura S, et al. A salivary gland-type monomorphic adenoma with trabecular proliferation in the lung. Intern Med 1995; 34:1086-8

3 Strickler JG, Hegstrom J, Thomas MJ, et al. Myoepithelioma of the lung. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1987; 111:1082-5

4 Tashiro Y, Iwata Y, Nabae T, et al. Pulmonary oncocytoma: report of a case in conjunction with an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study. Pathol Int 1995; 45:448-51

5 Tsuji N, Tateishi R, Ishiguro S, et al. Adenomyoepithelioma of the lung. Am J Surg Pathol 1995; 19:956-62

6 Pelosi G, Rodriguez J, Viale G, et al. Salivary gland-type tumors with myoepithelial differentiation arising in pulmonary hamartoma: report of 2 cases of a hitherto unrecognized association. Am J Surg Pathol 2006; 30:375-87

This page last revised 14.4.2006.