Skip to main content
Log in

Submandibular gland metastasis of breast carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Virchows Archiv Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We report a female patient who developed a solitary metastasis in the submandibular salivary gland 2 years after primary surgery for a grade II T1 N0 M0 breast cancer. A review of the literature shows that metastases in the submandibular gland are uncommon but when they arise the site of the primary tumour is more likely to be distant than in the head and neck region. In female patients, breast tumours predominate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abramson AL (1971) The submandibular gland as a site for distant metastasis. Laryngoscope 81:793–795

    Google Scholar 

  2. Barnes AL, Rao U, Contis L, Krause J, Schwartz A, Scalamogna P (1994) Salivary duct carcinoma. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 78:74–80

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bedrosian SA, Goldman RL, Dekelboum AM (1984) Renal carcinoma presenting as a primary submandibular gland tumor. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 58:699–701

    Google Scholar 

  4. Berg JW, Hutter RV, Foote FW (1968) The unique association between salivary gland cancer and breast cancer. JAMA 204:113–116

    Google Scholar 

  5. Brandwein MS, Jadirdar J, Patil J, Biller H, Kaneko M, (1990) Salivary duct carcinoma (cribriform salivary carcinoma of excretory ducts). Cancer 65:2307–2314

    Google Scholar 

  6. Brodsky G, Rabson AB (1984) Metastasis to the submandibular gland as the initial presentation of small cell (“oat cell”) lung carcinoma. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 58:76–80

    Google Scholar 

  7. Colmenero CC, Patron MR, Martin MP (1993) Salivary duct carcinoma: a report of nine cases. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 51:641–646

    Google Scholar 

  8. Delgado R, Vuitch F, Albores-Saavedra J (1993) Salivary duct carcinoma. Cancer 72:1503–1512

    Google Scholar 

  9. Edwab RR, Roberts MJ, Sole MS, Mahoney WD, Rappaport SC (1981) Metastasis of a transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder to the submandibular gland. J Oral Surg 39:972–974

    Google Scholar 

  10. Feinmesser R, Lahovitzki G, Wexler MR, Peled IG (1982) Metastatic carcinoma to the submandibular salivary gland. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 40:592–593

    Google Scholar 

  11. Grage Tb, Lober PH (1962) Malignant tumors of the major salivary glands. Surgery 52:284–294

    Google Scholar 

  12. Ellis, Auclair, Gnepp (1991) Surgical pathology of the salivary glands. W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  13. Hellquist HB, Karlsson MG, Nilsson C (1994) Salivary duct carcinoma — a highly aggressive salivary gland tumour with overexpression of c-erbB-2. J Pathol 172:35–44

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Hui KK, Batsakis JG, Luna MA, Mackay B, Byers RM (1986) Salivary duct adenocarcinoma: a high grade malignancy. J Laryngol Otol 100:105–114

    Google Scholar 

  15. Januska JR, Leban SG, Orange E (1978) Pulmonary metastasis to the submandibular gland. J Oral Surg 36:50–51

    Google Scholar 

  16. Kumar RV, Kini L, Bhargava AK, Mukherjee G, Hazarika D, Shenoy AM, Anantha N (1993) Salivary duct carcinoma. J Surg Oncol 54:193–198

    Google Scholar 

  17. Mallett SP (1961) A renal-cell metastatic carcinoma involving the mandible and submaxillary gland. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 14:4–7

    Google Scholar 

  18. Meyers AD, Olshock R (1981) Metastasis to the submaxillary gland from the breast: a case report and literature review. Otlaryngology 10:278–282

    Google Scholar 

  19. Moss ALH (1983) Metastatic tumour in the submandibular salivary gland. Br J Plast Surg 36:79–80

    Google Scholar 

  20. Rosti G, Callea A, Merendi R, Beccati D, Tienghi A, Turci D, Marangolo M (1987) Metastases to the submaxillary gland from breast cancer: case report. Tumori 73:413–416

    Google Scholar 

  21. Seifert G, Hennings K, Caselitz J (1986) Metastatic tumors to the parotid and submandibular glands-analysis and differential diagnosis of 108 cases. Pathol Res Pract 181:684–692

    Google Scholar 

  22. Seifert G (1991) WHO International histological classification of tumours. Histological typing of salivary gland tumours (2nd edn). Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  23. Smits JG, Slootweg PJ (1984) Renal cell carcinoma with metastasis to the submandibular and parotid glands: a case report. J Maxillofac Surg 12:235–236

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Solomon MP, Gardner B (1975) Metastatic malignancy in the submandibular gland. Oral Surg 39:469–473

    Google Scholar 

  25. Zoltie N (1986) Pulsatile secondary from renal cell carcinoma presenting in the submandibular gland. J R Coll Surg Edin 31:236

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This work was supported by the Italian Association for Cancer Research (Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro, AIRC, Milano)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vessecchia, G., Di Palma, S. & Giardini, R. Submandibular gland metastasis of breast carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 427, 349–351 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00203404

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00203404

Key words

Navigation