An atypical nonsebaceous lymphadenoma with diffuse lymphoepithelial differentiation

Area of Science:

• Pathology
• Oncology

Background:

• Nonsebaceous lymphadenoma is a rare salivary gland neoplasm characterized by lymphoid and epithelial components without sebaceous differentiation.
• Accurate diagnosis is essential to differentiate from other salivary gland tumors.

Observation:

• A 44-year-old woman presented with a left submandibular gland tumor.
• The tumor was well-circumscribed, solid, and lacked ductal or cystic structures.
• Histological examination revealed epithelial cells intermingling with lymphoplasmacytic cells.

Findings:

• The epithelial cells exhibited moderate cytologic atypia and occasional mitoses.
• Histological features were consistent with nonsebaceous lymphadenoma, but with notable nuclear atypia and diffuse lymphoepithelial differentiation.
• No evidence of viral infection was detected.

Implications:

• This case highlights an unusual presentation of nonsebaceous lymphadenoma with significant atypia and lymphoepithelial differentiation.
• Recognition of these atypical features is critical to prevent misdiagnosis, particularly distinguishing it from malignant neoplasms.
• This finding contributes to the understanding of rare salivary gland tumor variants.