Chronic sclerosing unspecific sialadenitis of submandibular gland (Kuttnertumor). Report of one case

Chronic sclerosing unspecific sialadenitis or Kuttner tumor, is an infreque nt inflammatory lesion of submandibular gland. We report a 60 years old mal e presenting with a slowly growing, painless, bilateral submandibular tumor of two years of evolution. Pathological examinations showed marked atrophy of glandular parenchyma with increased fibrous connective tissue and an in tense lymphocytic infiltration with lymphoid follicle formation. Lymphocyte population study with kappa, lambda, CD20 and CD45RO antibodies was simila r to that observed in reactive lymph nodes. There was no over expression of Bcl-2 gene protein, involved in the phenomenon of apoptosis of glandular t issue, that could explain the pathogenesis of atrophy. This protein was pos itive only in lymphoid cells and glandular conducts. An immune etiology, wi th replacement of glandular tissue by lymphoid and fibrous connective tissu e is suggested.