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Sebaceous Adenocarcinoma

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Sebaceous adenocarcinoma

Sebaceous adenocarcinoma, also known as sebaceous carcinoma, is a rare type of cancer that starts in the oil-producing (sebaceous) cells of the skin, eyelids and the salivary glands [1]. In the salivary glands, it most commonly develops in the parotid gland, which accounts for 85% to 90% of cases [2]. On rare occasions, it may also appear in the submandibular gland or in the minor salivary glands [3-5]. Overall, it is extremely uncommon, making up less than 0.2% of all major salivary gland cancers [6, 7]. This type of cancer frequently occurs during two age peaks: adolescence and older adulthood (ages 60 to 80) [8, 9]. It arises at about the same rate in both men and women [2, 10].

Patients most frequently notice a lump in the jaw or cheek area that is often painful, though some individuals present with a painless swelling [7]. Due to the location of the parotid gland (in front of and just below each ear), some patients may experience facial nerve paralysis or weakness if the cancer presses on nearby nerves, and the lump may feel firm or attached to the skin [8].

A patient’s prognosis largely depends on how early the cancer is diagnosed and whether it has begun to spread. While these cancers have a tendency to recur locally after treatment, the spread to distant parts of the body (metastasis) is relatively rare [8]. The primary treatment is surgery to remove the cancer and the affected gland tissue. For larger or more aggressive cases, doctors often recommend radiotherapy following surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells and lower the risk of the cancer coming back [11] .

 

References

  1. Torres-Laboy P, Schmieder SJ. Sebaceous Carcinoma. Available online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/books/NBK610689/ (Accessed: 10/10/2026)
  2. Gnepp DR, Brannon R. Sebaceous neoplasms of salivary gland origin. Report of 21 cases. Cancer. 1984; 53(10):2155-70.
  3. Takada Y, Kawamoto K, Baba S, Takada T, Inoue T, Tomoda K. Sebaceous carcinoma of the parotid gland: a case report. Case Rep Oncol. 2015; 8(1):106-12.
  4. Diedhiou A, Cazals-Hatem D, Rondini E, Sterkers O, Degott C, Wassef M. [Sebaceous carcinoma of the submandibular gland: a case report]. Ann Pathol. 2001; 21(4):348-51.
  5. Ohara N, Taguchi K, Yamamoto M, Nagano T, Akagi T. Sebaceous carcinoma of the submandibular gland with high-grade malignancy: report of a case. Pathol Int. 1998; 48(4):287-91.
  6. Marnouche el A, Maghous A, Kadiri S, Berhili S, Touil A, Kettani F, et al. Sebaceous carcinoma of the parotid gland: a case report and review of the literature. J Med Case Rep. 2016; 10:174.
  7. Ellis GL, Auclair P. Tumors of salivary glands. L RJS, editor. Washington: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology; 1996.
  8. Gnepp DR. My journey into the world of salivary gland sebaceous neoplasms. Head Neck Pathol. 2012; 6(1):101-10.
  9. Warman M, Mozes M, Halperin D. Sebaceous Adenocarcinoma of the parotid gland: a case report and literature review. The Internet Journal of Otorhinolaryngology. 2008 9(2).
  10. Soares CD, Morais TML, Carlos R, Jorge J, de Almeida OP, de Carvalho MGF, et al. Sebaceous adenocarcinomas of the major salivary glands: a clinicopathological analysis of 10 cases. Histopathology. 2018; 73(4):585-92.
  11. Sood S, McGurk M, Vaz F. Management of Salivary Gland Tumours: United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines. J Laryngol Otol. 2016; 130(S2):S142-s9.

 

Last Updated October 2026