Adenoid cystic carcinoma of head and neck: apropos of a case.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant neoplasm, arising from glandular tissues, found mainly in the head and neck. Generally, it presents insidiously but can behave aggressively making its course unpredictable. Surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy continue to be the cornerstone for its treatment. ACC remains extremely difficult to treat. The authors report a case of a 37-year-old woman with bloody rhinorrhea for 6 months. She was diagnosed with a left nasal cavity lesion that was biopsied, and the anatomopathological result showed ACC. The patient was submitted to a left extended maxillectomy, microsurgical reconstruction and radiotherapy.