Parotid gland papillary cystadenocarcinoma in a Fischer 344 rat

A spontaneous parotid gland tumor with histomorphologic features characteristic of cystic and papillary growth was found in a 72-week-old F344 rat. The tumor had a prominent cystic appearance and invasive growth into the dermis beyond the muscular layer of the skin. The cyst walls were lined by a single layer of cuboidal to tall columnar epithelium with prominent papillary projections continuous with the cyst lining. The tumor cells had mucoid, pale cytoplasm and medium to large nuclei. The myoepithelium did not appear to be associated with the tumor cysts and the papillae. Atrophic parotid gland tissues were seen between cysts and in the periphery of the cystic lesions. In light of these findings, the tumor was diagnosed as papillary cystadenocarcinoma of parotid gland; this is the first description of a salivary gland papillary cystadenocarcinoma in a rat.