CARCINOSARCOMA OF THE SUBMANDIBULAR SALIVARY-GLAND - IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL FINDINGS

Carcinosarcomas of the salivary glands are rare lesions that generally have been associated with benign mixed tumors. The authors report a c ase of a submandibular gland lesion, which occurred in a 64-year-old m an, that was composed of intermingled ductal type adenocarcinoma and o steogenic sarcoma with a large component of osteoclast-like giant cell s. The local recurrence of the tumor was entirely sarcomatous with no epithelial component observed. There was no histologic evidence of a p reexisting or coexisting pleomorphic adenoma. Immunohistochemical stud ies confirmed two separate populations of tumor cells, corresponding t o the histologic growth pattern. The authors review the literature and discuss histogenetic implications of distinction between de novo carc inosarcoma and carcinosarcoma in association with pleomorphic adenoma.