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A novel parotid carcinoma with a prominent ghost cell population: a masquerading tumor or “salivary ghost cell carcinoma”?

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Abstract

Ghost cell is one of several unique cellular morphologies associated with aberrant keratinization. We encountered a novel parotid tumor containing numerous ghost cells and herein describe its histological features and discuss diagnostic problems. The patient was a 90-year-old Japanese male, who complained of swelling of the left parotid area for four months. Positron emission tomography indicated no cervical lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis. The tumor was successfully resected with no signs of recurrence or metastasis for six months after surgery. Histologically, the tumor was mainly composed of squamous cells forming irregularly shaped nests with a mixture of pleomorphic giant or multinucleated cells and bland basaloid cell. Keratinized areas were occupied by a prominent ghost cell population. Immunohistochemically, CK5/6 and CK19 were widely positive as well as AE1/AE3, p40 and p63. Nuclear expression of β-catenin was also observed. The present case can be regarded as a particular form of squamous cell carcinoma and is believed to contain a large number of ghost cells resulting from an unclear mechanism. However, it seems difficult to consider such tumors as a clinicopathologically independent entity at present. Applying a term such as “salivary ghost cell carcinoma” would be premature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kindai University Hospital, 377-2 Ohnohigashi, Osaka-Sayama, 589-8511, Japan

    Hiroshi Harada & Takao Satou

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan

    Mitsuo P. Sato & Naoki Otsuki

  3. Department of Anatomic Pathology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan

    Hiroshi Harada, Mao Kawamura & Akira Kurose

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  1. Hiroshi Harada
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  2. Mitsuo P. Sato
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  4. Mao Kawamura
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Correspondence to Hiroshi Harada.

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Note: In addition to being a research fellow at Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, the primary author (HH) is also a visiting staff pathologist at Kindai University Hospital.

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Harada, H., Sato, M.P., Otsuki, N. et al. A novel parotid carcinoma with a prominent ghost cell population: a masquerading tumor or “salivary ghost cell carcinoma”?. Med Mol Morphol 55, 76–83 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00795-021-00302-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00795-021-00302-9

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