Sebaceous Carcinoma of Submandibular Gland Presenting with Upper Airway Obstruction: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) of the salivary gland is a very rare tumor occurring more in the parotid gland. It is extremely rare in the submandibular
gland. Only four cases of submandibular gland SC have been reported worldwide in English literature. We present the first case of submandibular
gland SC in our environment and the fifth to be reported in English literature. A 55‑year‑old male farmer presented to our facility with a 10-year history of progressive, painless left submandibular mass, which worsened 4 months before presentation, associated with dysphagia to solid, muffled voice, weight loss, and upper airway obstruction. He had emergency tracheostomy and biopsy of the left submandibular mass. Histopathological examination of the mass confirmed SC. He was referred for radiotherapy but said to have died few weeks later while still preparing to travel for the radiation therapy. The rarity of these cases made the clinicopathologic pattern to be poorly understood thus making the choice of treatment option difficult. More cases need to be reported in other to develop the best treatment modalities.