Low grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma arising in cervical lymph nodes. A report of two cases with fine needle aspiration findings.

BACKGROUND

Heterotopic islands of salivary tissue are commonly found in the intraparotid lymph nodes and, less commonly, within extraparotid cervical nodes. Salivary gland tumors, both benign and malignant, can develop within this ectopic salivary tissue.

CASES

Two patients presented with a solitary, painless mass in the cervical region. Fine needle aspiration cytology was performed, and the smears revealed a mixture of intermediate and mucus-secreting cells associated with extracellular mucin. The tumors were removed, and the diagnosis of mucoepidermoid carcinoma was confirmed by histologic study.

CONCLUSION

The finding of a malignant cervical salivary gland tumor does not necessarily represent a metastasis from an occult site.