Cavitary mucoepidermoid carcinoma of lung with metastases in skeletal muscles as presenting features: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MECs) of lung are rare neoplasms originating in bronchial submucosal glands and comprising 0.1-0.2% of primary lung cancers. MECs, the most common malignancy in salivary glands, were earlier thought to occur only in salivary glands. Later studies showed that they can arise as a primary in bronchus, esophagus, lacrimal glands, pancreas, thymus and thyroid gland. Initially described as a benign adenoma, it is now considered to be a malignant epithelial tumor. There have been reports of metastases to regional lymph nodes, other parts of the lung and distant organs. Cavitary lesion in MEC of lung is rare. Here, we report a case of MEC of lung with metastases to skeletal muscles of thigh and arm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only case of MEC of lung presenting with such unusual pattern of metastasis as presenting feature with almost no symptoms of primary lesion.

Unusual mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the liver misdiagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma by intraoperative histological examination

“…Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a relatively common neoplasm of the salivary glands, which rarely arises in other sites, including esophagus, anal canal, skin of the breast, lachrymal sac, thymus, thyroid gland, lung or uterine cervix [1-4]. Primary intrahepatic mucoepidermoid carcinoma is rare tumor with only 17 cases described in the English literature so far [5-17].…”

Skeletal muscle metastases as the initial manifestation of an unknown primary lung cancer detected on F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography

“…[5] Primary presentation of a skeletal muscle metastasis, such as in our case, remains an unusual occurrence. [36789] The present case, where the initial presentation was of metastatic muscular involvement, highlights the role of FDG PET/CT in tracing the location of primary lung malignancy and unsuspected sites of multiple muscle metastases in a patient with muscle metastases of unknown primary.…”

A rarely seen mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the left main bronchus

“…In their study, Singh et al [10] recommended that, in the treatment of both low-grade and high-grade MECs, resection should be performed first; they also recommended that an additional excision be performed if the surgical border remained positive. Furthermore, they indicated that no adjuvant therapy is needed if the MEC tumor is low-grade and the patient is eligible for surgical treatment.…”

“…Metastases are most frequently seen in the regional lymphatic nodes (48%), bone (25%), distant lymphatic nodes (18%), and the adrenal gland, cerebral, and skin (14%). [10] As Singh et al [10] stated, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are preferred in patients whose surgical margins remained positive and whose tumors cannot be re-resected, or in inoperable patients who already are metastatic at the time of diagnosis. In those patients, cisplatin, docetaxel, gemcitabine, adriamycin, and pemetrexed are preferred chemotherapy combinations.…”