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Updated: Apr 29, 2026
Author Spotlight: Anterior HR-OCT as a Non-Invasive Tool for Characterizing Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia
Published on: August 9, 2024
Unknown primary mucoepidermoid carcinoma: diagnosis and treatment
Samuel Trosman1, Deborah Chute, Benjamin Wood
1Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio.
Background:
Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common malignant salivary gland tumor. The majority of MECs occur in major or intraoral minor salivary glands. Herein, we present a case of MEC metastatic to cervical lymph nodes with an unknown primary site and discuss diagnostic and treatment options.
Methods And Results:
The patient was a 43-year-old man who presented with a large right-sided neck mass. Excisional biopsy demonstrated MEC involving multiple lymph nodes. Subsequent positron emission tomography (PET)/CT and multiple biopsies of potential primary sites failed to localize the primary tumor. The patient was treated with radiation to the ipsilateral neck and parotid/submandibular glands and has no evidence of disease 1 year after completion of treatment.
Conclusion:
MEC presenting as cervical lymph node metastasis with an undiagnosed primary site is extremely rare. We report results of our literature review and provide a rationale for our experience in treating unknown primary MEC.
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