Primary Lymphoepithelial Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland in a North African Woman

Abstract

Lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the salivary glands is a rare neoplasm that is characterized by a non-neoplastic lymphocytic infiltration associated with an epithelial proliferation. It involves mainly the parotid gland. Racial and geographical factors contribute to the pathogenesis of this tumor. We report a case of a 70-year old woman from a non-endemic area who presented with several months history of swelling in the parotid region. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a parotid mass suggestive of a pleomorphic adenoma. The diagnosis of lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid gland was performed on the surgical specimen. A primitive nasopharyngeal carcinoma was ruled out by random biopsies of the nasopharynx mucosa. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was absent in neoplastic cells. We insist that, even in non-endemic areas and when clinical and radiological characteristics are not suggestive of malignancy, intra-operative frozen section analysis should be used in order to ensure the appropriate treatment.

Primary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of salivary gland: Sixty-nine cases with long-term follow-up

“…Among cases in the white population, EBV is usually negative, but some cases reported were EBV‐positive . In 2 cases of salivary gland LELC from North Africa, EBV was positive in 1 case and negative in the other . EBER in situ hybridization is regarded as the “gold standard” for identifying EBV in tumor cells.…”

“…27,28 In 2 cases of salivary gland LELC from North Africa, EBV was positive in 1 case 29 and negative in the other. 30 EBER in situ hybridization is regarded as the "gold standard" for identifying EBV in tumor cells. In our cohort, in situ hybridization for EBERs was performed in 38 of 69 patients, and positive signals were shown in all of these 38 cases.…”

Primary lymphoepthelial carcinoma of the parotid gland, pictorial review of a rare entity

“…These are rare tumours with only a handful cases described in western literature. Although these tumours affect the parotid in 80% of cases, they only account for 0.4% of salivary gland tumours . The predilection for LEC is variable with a strong association in Asian populations compared to Caucasian populations and overall stronger female predominance …”

“…Lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid gland is pathologically and histologically analogous to undifferentiated nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) and this can lead to diagnostic and treatment dilemmas. Although NPC is nearly always associated with Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV), EBV association in LEC is variable with high predilection in certain Inuit populations …”

Carcinoma linfoepitelial primario de glándula parótida

“…En la literatura se ha descrito este tipo histológico en otras localizaciones de cabeza y cuello como: nasofaringe, suelo de boca, laringe, mandíbula, timo y senos paranasales 2 5 . Se ha sugerido, como una de las posibles causas, la transformación maligna de inclusiones glandulares o ductales de los ganglios intraparotídeos.…”