Oncocytic variant of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of submandibular gland: an unusual clinical and morphological entity.

In this case report we describe a rare tumor--Oncocytic variant of Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the submandibular salivary gland with a review of the literature. Oncocytic metaplasia in salivary glands is a benign change that is associated with increasing age and also seen in a few salivary gland neoplasms', which include oncocytoma, Warthin's tumor, and the rare, oncocytic carcinoma. Oncocytic differentiation in mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is uncommon. Only twelve well-documented cases of oncocytic MEC have been reported previously all of which occurred in the parotid gland. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case of oncocytic mucoepidermoid carcinoma involving the submandibular salivary gland. The recognition of this entity is important, since most of the other primary oncocytic lesions of the salivary gland are benign.