Table 2

Salivary gland and breast adenoid cystic carcinomas face to face (based on various references1 8 14 15 17 22 23)

AdCC salivary glandsAdCC breast
Prevalence10–15% of parotid carcinomas0.1–1% of all breast cancers
Clinical presentationSlow-growing swellingMass lesion, occasionally painful
Gross findingsApparently well defined lesion, however often invading beyond clinically apparent bordersWell defined lesion, with rounded borders (although microscopically evident invasion of peri-tumoural tissues is often found)
Histological growth patternCribriform (classic variant) Glandular (=tubular) Trabecular (=reticular) Solid
Perineural invasionVery commonRarely found
Lymph node metastasisCommonRare
Distant metastasesCommon (up to 50% of the patients)Rare, mainly visceral organs involved
Pre-invasive and associated lesionsNAMGA, ‘atypical’ MGA
Associated lesionsNAIn situ and invasive carcinomas, tubular adenosis, microglandular adenosis
Survival at 10 years30–54%>90%
Therapeutic approach

  • Radical surgery for local disease

  • Cisplatin usually employed with response rates of ∼30%

Surgical excision

  • AdCC, adenoid cystic carcinoma; MGA, microglandular adenosis; NA, not applicable.