Published online Jun 6, 2019. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v7.i11.1351
Peer-review started: January 17, 2019
First decision: March 10, 2019
Revised: April 2, 2019
Accepted: April 9, 2019
Article in press: April 10, 2019
Published online: June 6, 2019
Basal cell adenoma (BCA) is a rare benign tumour that has unique histological characteristics and primarily arises in the parotid glands. According to published reports, nearby tissue destruction by BCA seems impossible.
We presented a case of a 54-year-old woman with a mass in the deep lobe of the right parotid gland involving the ipsilateral skull base and mastoid. The patient exhibited gradual right facial swelling but no other obvious symptoms. Combined resection of the total right parotid gland and partial skull base excision were performed. The biopsy conducted before the surgery and sections cut from intraoperatively obtained tissues were not definitive for identifying the character of the neoplasm. A final diagnosis of tubular BCA without malignant elements was established based on postoperative pathology results and immunohistochemical analysis. The tumour did not recur during the 12-mo follow-up period.
A diagnosis of BCA can only be established based on a histopathological examination after an excisional biopsy, and tubular BCA should carefully be considered as a destructive type.
Core tip: Basal cell adenoma (BCA) is a rare benign tumour that has unique histological characteristics and primarily arises in the parotid glands. Destruction of nearby tissue by BCA has not been reported. We presented a case of tubular BCA in the deep lobe of the parotid gland involving the ipsilateral skull base and mastoid. It suggests that a diagnosis of BCA can only be established after an excisional biopsy, and tubular BCA should carefully be considered as a destructive type.