Mucoepidermoid carcinoma classification

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Badria Munir M.B.B.S.[2] Maria Fernanda Villarreal, M.D. [3]

Overview

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma may be classified according to location into 2 subtypes: salivary gland-confined carcinomas and other organ mucoepidermoid carcinomas. Based on histological features, it is divided into low, intermediate and high grade tumors.

Classification

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma may be classified according to location into 2 subtypes:^[1]


Classification: Mucoepidermoid Carcinomas
Salivary gland-confined carcinomas	Major salivary glands (50%)	Parotid gland (40%) Submandibular gland (7%) Sublingual gland (3%)
Salivary gland-confined carcinomas	Minor salivary glands (50%)	Palate (most common) Retromolar area Floor of the mouth Buccal mucosa Lip Tongue
Other organ mucoepidermoid carcinomas	Thyroid Lung

Grading based on Histopathology:

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma are graded into three sub types based on histopathological features:
- Low
- Intermediate
- High grade
The three most popular grading systems are:
- The AFIP grading system ^[2]
- Modified Healey system^[3]
- The Brandwein system^[4]
All categories are based on similar set of parameters which include both cytomorphologic and architectural, particularly perineural and angiolymphatic invasion.


Category	Histopathologic findings
Low grade	Macrocysts, microcysts, Transition with excretory ducts, Differentiated mucin producing epidermoid cells, often in a 1:1 ratio, minimal to moderate intermediate cell population Daughter cyst proliferation from large cysts Minimal to absent pleomorphism, rare mitoses Broad-front, often circumscribed invasion Pools of extravasated mucin with stromal reaction
Intermediated grade	No macrocysts, few microcysts Solid nests of cells Large duct, but not conspicuous Slight to moderate pleomorphism, few mitoses, prominent nuclei and nucleoli Invasive quality, usually well defined and uncircumscribed Chronic inflammation at periphery Fibrosis separates nests of cells and groups of nests
High grade	No macrocysts Predominantly solid but may be nearly all glandular Cell constituents range from poorly differentiated to recognizable epidermoid and intermediate to ductal type adenocarcinoma Considerable pleomorphism, mitoses Unquestionable soft tissue, perineural and intravascular invasion Chronic inflammation less prominent, desmoplasia of stroma may outline invasive clusters

References

↑ Mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Radiopedia. Dr Frank Gailliard. http://radiopaedia.org/articles/mucoepidermoid-carcinoma-of-salivary-glands Accessed on February 17, 2016
↑ Goode RK, Auclair PL, Ellis GL (April 1998). “Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the major salivary glands: clinical and histopathologic analysis of 234 cases with evaluation of grading criteria”. Cancer. 82 (7): 1217–24. PMID 9529011.
↑ Batsakis JG, Luna MA (October 1990). “Histopathologic grading of salivary gland neoplasms: I. Mucoepidermoid carcinomas”. Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol. 99 (10 Pt 1): 835–8. doi:10.1177/000348949009901015. PMID 2221741.
↑ Brandwein MS, Ferlito A, Bradley PJ, Hille JJ, Rinaldo A (October 2002). “Diagnosis and classification of salivary neoplasms: pathologic challenges and relevance to clinical outcomes”. Acta Otolaryngol. 122 (7): 758–64. PMID 12484654.

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[radiowiki-1] Mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Radiopedia. Dr Frank Gailliard. http://radiopaedia.org/articles/mucoepidermoid-carcinoma-of-salivary-glands Accessed on February 17, 2016

[pmid9529011-2] Goode RK, Auclair PL, Ellis GL (April 1998). “Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the major salivary glands: clinical and histopathologic analysis of 234 cases with evaluation of grading criteria”. Cancer. 82 (7): 1217–24. PMID 9529011.

[pmid2221741-3] Batsakis JG, Luna MA (October 1990). “Histopathologic grading of salivary gland neoplasms: I. Mucoepidermoid carcinomas”. Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol. 99 (10 Pt 1): 835–8. doi:10.1177/000348949009901015. PMID 2221741.

[pmid12484654-4] Brandwein MS, Ferlito A, Bradley PJ, Hille JJ, Rinaldo A (October 2002). “Diagnosis and classification of salivary neoplasms: pathologic challenges and relevance to clinical outcomes”. Acta Otolaryngol. 122 (7): 758–64. PMID 12484654.

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Mucoepidermoid carcinoma classification

Overview

Classification

Grading based on Histopathology:

References

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