Spinal Metastases from Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland

• Published in: Chinese medical journal 2018-11, Vol.131 (21), p.2616-2617
• Main Authors: Liu, Shu-Zhong, Zhou, Xi, Song, An, Huo, Zhen, Zhang, Jing, Wang, Yi-Peng, Liu, Yong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Back pain; Bone Neoplasms - pathology; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic - pathology; Correspondence; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Medical prognosis; Metastasis; Parotid Gland - pathology; Parotid Neoplasms - pathology; Spinal cord; Tumors
• ISSN: 0366-6999; 2542-5641
• DOI: 10.4103/0366-6999.244125

After being admitted to hospital, magnetic resonance imaging revealed a significant bone destruction, pathological vertebral fractures, and multilevel lumbar spinal cord compressions [Figure 1]a and [Figure 1]b. She denied a history of injury or any other underlying diseases. Bone scintigraphy indicated a skeletal abnormality of L1 and L4, with high suspicion of metastases [Figure 1]c. She was administered analgesic therapy for pain-relieving purpose, and later, a circumferential spinal cord decompression, while a stabilization procedure together with cement augmentation was performed [Figure 1]d. The postoperative pathology confirmed a metastatic ACC of spine [Figure 1]e,[Figure 1]f,[Figure 1]g,[Figure 1]h,[Figure 1]i,[Figure 1]j. One week after the operation, the patient's symptoms were relieved significantly. [...]visual analog scale score of her back pain improved to 1–2 points compared to the preoperative status, 8–9 points. [3] Histologic examination of the primary tumor, the presence or absence of positive margins, and physical and radiologic studies of anatomical spread are essential for the treatment of spinal metastasis of ACC.