Primary Lymphoepithelial Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland: A Rare Case

Abstract

The primary lymphoepithelial carcinomas account only 0.4% of all salivary gland malignancies and most of them occur in parotid glands. This disease correlates with activities of Epstein-Barr virus and the microscopic pathological presentations mimic the finding of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Thus, the metastatic lymphadenopathy of parotid nodes from pharyngeal carcinomas should be considered first, especially in the higher prevalent area such as arctic area or South-east Asia. After exclusion of a metastatic disease, the diagnosis of primary lymphoepithelial carcinoma can be made. Magnetic resonance imaging is the examination of choice if a parotid malignancy is suspected. Surgical excision of malignancy with postoperative radiotherapy is considered as the better treatment strategy. We present a medical history of the 26-year-old woman who was diagnosed with primary lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid gland and showed no evidence of recurrence after this treatment strategy.

Keywords

• Lymphoepithelial carcinoma
• parotid gland
• nasopharyngeal carcinoma