Cribriform Adenocarcinoma of the Tongue and Minor Salivary Glands: A Review

Cribriform adenocarcinoma of the tongue and minor salivary glands (CATMSG) is a tumor occurring mostly, but not exclusively, in the base of the tongue. Other locations are minor salivary glands of the oral cavity. Histopathologically, CATMSG resembles papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland. It usually reveals a solid growth devoid of colloid, and eosinophilic material present in follicular areas is rather pale in contrast to metastatic foci seen in papillary thyroid carcinoma that shows typical deeply eosinophilic colloid with “moth-eaten peripheries” and cystic configuration. In addition, giant multinucleated cells are not observed in CATMSG and psammoma bodies are found only exceptionally. Unlike papillary thyroid carcinoma, CATMSG is composed of hybrid secretory-myoepithelial cells. Most importantly, CATMSG is consistently negative with both thyroglobulin and TTF-1. CATMSG is a distinct tumor entity that also differs from polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma by location, cytology, histological architecture, and behavior, with frequent metastases at the time of presentation. Paradoxically, early metastatic disease seen in most cases of CATMSG is associated with an indolent behavior. It makes CATMSG a unique neoplasm among all low-grade salivary gland tumors.