Parotid Gland Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma in a Three-year Old: A Case Report

Salivary glands consist of parotid, submandibular, sublingual and other minor salivary glands. Tumors affecting these glands present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the pathologist and the surgeon respectively. They are not uncommon in adults but rare in children, with an annual incidence of 0.08 per 100 000. When present, older children are affected. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common cancer presenting in children with a predilection for the parotid gland. This case report describes presentation of this rare tumor in a three-year old girl with a brief review of the literature.