Although fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) has been widely accepted as a valuable tool for differential diagnosis of head and neck tumors, the diagnostic value of FNAB in the management of salivary gland tumors has been questioned. This case report presents a patient with mucoepidermoid carcinoma of parotid gland diagnosed as pleomorphic adenoma by FNAB and discusses the pitfalls in the diagnosis of malignant salivary gland tumors.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma(MEC) is the most common salivary gland malignancies. As its name implies, the MEC is composed of a mixture of mucus-secreting cells and epidermoid cells. Histologically, MECs have been categorized into one of three grades : low, intermediate, or high grade. Although the MEC is the most common salivary gland tumor in both adults and children, MEC of sublingual gland accounts for only 1% of epithelial salivary tumors. This case report presents the histopathological features and management of MEC of the sublingual gland.

Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma (CCOC) is an extremely rare odontogenic neoplasm; Only a few cases have been reported in the English literatures. It displays a propensity for the mandible, most commonly presenting in the fifth to seventh decades, with a female predilection. The clinical and radiological manifestations are multiple and the diagnosis is histological. Histological feature is of large islands and strands of uniform cells with round or ovoid nuclei and clear cytoplasm. Clinically, painless swelling is the most common symptom, followed by pain, teeth mobility, and paresthesia. CCOC has a good prognosis after surgery. This case report presents the histopathological and clinical features of CCOC excised from the mandible.