Non-neoplastic proliferative inflammatory aspect of mucoepidermoid carcinomas involving retromolar trigone: A relevant and ignored clinical aspect

Abstract

Malignant salivary glands tumors are uncommon and comprise a series of peculiar histological types, being mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) the most frequent. Malignant salivary glands tumors have different prognostic factors and depend on particularly location, stage and histological type. Generally, the major glands are most affected, mainly parotid, however, MEC can occur in minor salivary glands of oral cavity being more common in palate and rare in other locations. The present report describes two cases of asymptomatic ulcerated nodules, occurring in retromolar region of a 45 and 70-year-old Caucasians women, users of inferior partial prosthesis. Incisional biopsies were performed and the diagnostic of low-grade MEC were established. Both patients were treated with surgery, and one patient received selective neck dissection and adjuvant radiotherapy. Although the clinical appearance of palate MEC is widely recognized, few reports illustrate the clinical aspect of MEC in the retromolar trigone and, therefore, the present report highlights two cases of MEC with a peculiar clinical presentation.

Keywords

• Head and neck neoplasm
• Carcinoma
• Mucoepidermoid
• Salivary glands
• Minor
• Mouth neoplasm