[Adenoid cystic carcinoma]

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is an uncommon tumor of the head and neck. Although it is mainly located in the salivary gland, a skin location has also been described. Metastases are rare, but 50 % of the cases relapse. A 65-year-old male patient had a lesion in the upper lip. After resection, the histological diagnosis was adenoid cystic carcinoma. Treatment was completed with radiotherapy. Ten years later, a nodule was detected in the neck. Its histological diagnosis was lymphatic metastasis due to adenoid cystic carcinoma. Primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma is a very uncommon tumor in which treatment consists in extensive local excision with free margins. Radiotherapy is not curative and should be reserved for palliative treatments. Multicenter, prospective studies are necessary to determine the best treatment and especially the adjuvant treatment for adenoid cystic carcinoma.