Diagnostic and management of the dentist in front of adenoid cystic carcinoma

Abstract

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant salivary gland, slow growing and presents a poor prognosis. It mainly affects patients aged between 50 and 70 years, is uncommon in young people, having infiltrative behavior and clinically presenting as a lump of hardened, with great potential relapse. Objective: manuscrit describes a case of ACC in elderly patient, emphasizing its diagnosis by the dentist and the correct therapeutic. Case report: A male patient, 73 years old, black, attended by service of dentistry at the State University of Paraíba (UEPB), reporting an injury in the palate, with increase of about one year, which showed soft consistency with irregular contours. We realized an incisional biopsy and the histopathological examination revealed the case of a ACC. Final considerations: The final diagnosis is only conclusive when accompanied by histopathological examination and the conduct that the dentist can take after this procedure is direct to the surgeon of head and neck. Key words: Adenoid cystic carcinoma. Oral pathology. Salivary glands.