Ceruminous adenoma: A rare tumor diagnosed on cytology with histological correlation

Abstract

Ceruminous adenoma (CA) is a rare, benign tumor of the ceruminous gland found in the cartilaginous part of the external auditory canal (EAC). The tumor is diagnosed on histopathology and shows a characteristic dual population of luminal epithelial cells and basal myoepithelial cells. However, CA can be diagnosed on fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) prior to surgery and the cytopathologist should be well aware of its cytological findings to avoid any misdiagnosis. The tumor shows an excellent prognosis with possible recurrence and malignant transformation. The present case emphasizes the cytological features of CA, which have been scantily described in the literature and highlights the role of cytopathologists in preoperative diagnosis.

Keywords

• Benign tumor; ceruminous adenoma (CA); ceruminous gland; external auditory canal (EAC); fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC)