Malignant mixed salivary tumor presenting as a mandibular metastasis

A rare case of a central mandibular metastatic mixed salivary gland tumor is reported which presented following a 45-year history of recurrent benign mixed salivary gland tumor of the parotid gland on the same side. The mandibular tumor included a predominantly benign mixed salivary gland component as well as frankly invasive adenocarcinoma. The clinicopathologic features of the mandibular and residual parotid tumors suggested that the metastatic event may have occurred prior to the development of frank carcinoma in the parotid tumor.