Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine

Original Articles

Characterization of undifferentiated carcinoma of the salivary gland: clinicopathological and immunohistochemical analyses in comparison with lymphoepithelial carcinoma: Sangjoon Choi, Gyuheon Choi, Hee Jin Lee, Joon Seon Song, Yoon Se Lee, Seung-Ho Choi, Kyung-Ja Cho; J Pathol Transl Med. 2025;59(6):361-370. Published online September 8, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2025.07.07

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Abstract PDF: Background
This study aimed to reclassify a subset of poorly differentiated salivary gland carcinoma that do not conform to any entities of the current World Health Organization (WHO) classification into the category of undifferentiated carcinoma (UDC) because they lack specific histologic differentiation or immunophenotype. Methods: Cases of salivary gland carcinomas from Asan Medical Center (2002–2020) that did not fit any existing WHO classification criteria and were diagnosed as poorly differentiated carcinoma, high-grade carcinoma, or UDC, were retrospectively reviewed. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for p40, neuroendocrine markers, androgen receptor (AR), and gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 (GCDFP-15) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in situ hybridization (ISH) were performed. Clinical data were collected from the electronic medical records. Results: Six salivary gland carcinomas did not align with any specific entities and lacked distinct differentiation. Two of six cases displayed lymphoepithelial carcinoma (LEC)-like morphology but were negative or showed negligible immunoreactivity for p40 and EBV ISH, distinguishing them from LEC of the salivary gland. Two cases showed strong AR positivity, suggesting a potential overlap with salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) but lacked classic SDC morphologies and GCDFP-15 expression. No cases expressed neuroendocrine markers. Conclusions: This study proposes reclassifying these poorly differentiated or high-grade salivary gland carcinomas as UDC based on their indeterminate differentiation and IHC profiles. This may lead to a clearer diagnostic category and enhance our understanding of these high-grade tumors.

Primary Merkel cell carcinoma of the salivary gland: a clinicopathologic study of four cases with a review of literature: Gyuheon Choi, Joon Seon Song, Hee Jin Lee, Gi Hwan Kim, Young Ho Jung, Yoon Se Lee, Kyung-Ja Cho; J Pathol Transl Med. 2025;59(3):171-179. Published online April 30, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2025.03.25

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Background
Primary Merkel cell carcinoma of the salivary gland is currently not listed in the World Health Organization classification. However, cases of Merkel cell type neuroendocrine carcinomas of the salivary gland with perinuclear cytokeratin 20 positivity have been intermittently reported. We here investigated the clinicopathologic features of additional cases.
Methods
Data of four cases of Merkel cell type small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the salivary gland were retrieved. To confirm the tumors’ primary nature, clinical records and pathologic materials were reviewed. Optimal immunohistochemical staining was performed to support the diagnosis.
Results
All tumors were located in the parotid gland. Possibilities of metastasis were excluded in all cases through a meticulous clinicopathological review. Tumor histology was consistent with the diagnosis of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Tumors’ immunohistochemical phenotypes were consistent with Merkel cell carcinoma, including Merkel cell polyomavirus large T antigen positivity in two of the four cases.
Conclusions
Merkel cell carcinomas can originate in salivary glands and are partly associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus infection as in cutaneous Merkel cell carcinomas.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Parotid intranodal metastasis of Merkel cell carcinoma: a rare case report
Tong Gao, Dengshun Wang, Hongwei Yu, Yu’e Wang, Haibin Lu
BMC Oral Health.2025;[Epub] CrossRef

Case Study

Adenocarcinoma of the minor salivary gland with concurrent MAML2 and EWSR1 alterations: Sangjoon Choi, Junhun Cho, Seung Eun Lee, Chung-Hwan Baek, Yi-Kyung Kim, Hyung-Jin Kim, Young Hyeh Ko; J Pathol Transl Med. 2021;55(2):132-138. Published online January 22, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2020.12.11

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