Basic Information about Mucoepidermoid Tumor

 

Several hundred minor salivary glands are too small for the microscope to see. These glands are lined under the lips and the tongue; they are on the top of the mouth; they have nose, sinuses and the larynx inside the cheek.Tumors in these glands are rare, but cancerous rather than benign are more common. Minor salivary gland cancer mostly begins on the mouth roof. Mucoepidermoid tumor carcinomas, including the breast, eustachian ear tube, lung bronchi and thyroid, have been identified at far and atypical locations. Carcinomas are not identified for Mucoepidermoidsubglottis. In infants, MEC is the most common malignant salivary gland.The tumor normally develops an unpainted, constant, slowly growing swelling with large variations, which often takes place before a clinical presentation in an accelerate growth process. Tenderness, otorrhea, dysphagia and trism are all the symptoms. Intraoral tumors are frequently fluctuating and bluish-red and can be close to mucoceles or vascular injuries.

MECs may be circumscribed and variable capsule, infiltrative and fixed; for higher-degree tumors, these last characteristics are usually applicable. Variable-sized cysts are frequently present with brownish fluid. MEC cells form sheets of different sizes, islands, duct structures, and cysts. The cysts may be filled and mucosal with intermediate, mucous, or epidermoid cells. Papillary processes can extend into the cyst light and sometimes this is a remarkable feature.The tumor consists primarily of three types of cells: intermediate, mucous, and epidermoid in varying proportions. Higher-grade tumors are more likely to be showing cytologicatypia, a high mitotic frequency, and areas for necrosis.