Hybrid carcinomas of salivary glands. Report of 4 cases and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: To report 4 cases of hybrid carcinoma and to review the literature on these rare neoplasms of the salivary gland. METHODS: Hematoxylin-eosin-stained, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 3 parotid tumors and 1 palate tumor were examined. RESULTS: The cases were classified as adenoid cystic and mucoepidermoid carcinoma, adenoid cystic and epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma, epithelial-myoepithelial and salivary duct carcinoma, and adenoid cystic and salivary duct carcinoma. All patients were men, 28 to 71 years old; 3 patients presented with parotid mass, and 1 patient presented with palatal mass. One patient presented with facial nerve paralysis and pain. The soft palatal tumor was a slowly growing mass with maxillary sinus involvement at the time of the diagnosis. All patients were treated with surgery and radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Correct identification of 2 or more neoplastic entities will help assess the aggressiveness and metastatic potential of the tumor and influence the clinical course and treatment.