Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Mucoepidermoid carcinoma differential diagnosis
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Mucoepidermoid carcinoma must be differentiated from other diseases that cause painless swelling, facial deformity, and facial numbness, such as Warthin’s tumor, adenoid cystic carcinoma, benign mixed tumor (salivary glands), and metastasis.
Differential Diagnosis
Differential Diagnosis
- The table below summarizes the findings that differentiate mucoepidermoid carcinoma from other conditions that cause painless swelling, facial deformity, and facial numbness or weakness.[1][2]
| Differential Diagnosis | Similar Features | Differentiating Features |
|---|---|---|
| Benign mixed tumor (salivary glands) | Painless parotid swelling and facial deformity | Histopathological findings |
| Warthin’s tumor | Painless swelling and facial deformity | Multicentric presentation (20%), usually small in size (1-4 cm), highly associated with smoking |
| Adenoid cystic carcinoma | Local swelling | Mainly occur in relation to the airways, tendency for perineural extension, distribution |
| Metastasis | Painless swelling, facial deformity, and facial numbness. | In metastasis, differentiating features include: primary tumor origin and histopathological findings. |
References
References
- ↑ Eversole LR (1970). “Mucoepidermoid carcinoma: review of 815 reported cases”. J Oral Surg. 28 (7): 490–4. PMID 5269211.
- ↑ Mucoepidermoid carcincoma. Dr Ayush Noel. Radiopedia. http://radiopaedia.org/articles/mucoepidermoid-carcinoma-of-salivary-glands Accessed on February 19, 2016
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]