[Adenoid cystic carcinoma and basal cell adenoma of the parotid gland: a compromised differential diagnosis].

The adenoid cystic carcinoma of the major and minor salivary glands grows slowly but spreads relentlessly into the surrounding tissues, in particular along the perineural spaces. It may appear clinically to be circumscribed, true encapsulation is lacking and the insidious invasion is demonstrated histologically. Another characteristic of the tumor is a high rate of metastases to distant organs such as lung, bobe or liver. The prognosis relatively poor despite surgical excision. The monomorphic basal cell adenoma of salivary glands is a rare tumor. Its diagnosis is, occasionally, difficult with adenoid cystic carcinoma on the clinical and pathology basis. The authors shown a method for this diagnosis consistent in a morphometric analysis of the neoplasic cells.