From:
williamsb@comcast.net
Date: 2002-12-03 20:50:41 UTC
Subject: RE: Possible Salivary Gland Cancer
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <29691689.1038948641289.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Author wrote:
> > Report: The smears display low cellularity with moderate blood
> contamination. There is abundant magenta material in the background
> which appears tenacious (windrowing of erythrocytes is seen). Moderately
> sized to large cells are present individually and in small clusters, the
> cells are round to polygonal with moderate to abundant cytoplasm which
> is pale and often contains small to very large vacuoles. Nuclei are
> small and round to oval, and usually eccentrically placed within the
> cell. Morphology is often obscured by the thick background material.
> Interpretation: The aspirate is not consistent with a lymph node.
> Unusual cytologic picture - most suspicious of a secretory adenoma
> (salivary?) but cannot rule out other types of neoplasia. Review by
> second pathologist confirms this interpretation. Third opinion:
> Suspicious of a cartilaginous tumor i.e. chondroma/sarcoma.
> Question: Is there a treatment for this type of tumor? Causes? Any info
> would be helpful.
Dear Betty:
Please(!) send the picture (or take a better one - you usually are a pretty good photographer) and I'd like to see a sample should one become available.
I think the diagnosis they are looking for is actually a chordoma. I have seen several in the neck - published a series of three, and have two since then. Haven't seen one that presented as a ring, but it would very well be the case. Look for a destructive lesion of the cervical vertebrae on an X-ray.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM