Spinal metastasis of submandibular gland adenoid cystic carcinoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor of the salivary glands, with pulmonary metastasis being the most common site of distant metastasis.

CASE DESCRIPTION: The author reports an unusual case of intradural adenoid cystic carcinoma metastasis of the lumbar spine in a patient with recent prostate carcinoma suffering from progressive back pain. The primary submandibular tumor was resected 7 years before the appearance of the spine metastasis, and a prostatic carcinoma had been detected 1 year before. The patient died of systemically advanced disease a few months after surgical decompression.

CONCLUSION

Late submandibular gland adenoid cystic carcinoma recurrence may present as an intradural lumbar spine metastasis. The case further displays difficulty in diagnosis and differentiation of metastasis in case of metachronous tumors.