Is Primary Poorly Differentiated Sarcomatoid Malignancy of the Parotid Gland Sarcomatoid Undifferentiated/Dedifferentiated Melanoma ? Report of three unusual cases diagnosed by fine needle aspiration combined with histological, immunohistochemical and molecular analyses.

INTRODUCTION: Poorly differentiated primary sarcomatoid parotid malignancies are extremely rare. These tumors have not been consistently studied by morphology, immunohistochemistry or molecular techniques.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report three unusual cases of parotid gland poorly-differentiated sarcomatoid malignancy investigated by fine needle aspiration and studied histologically, by immunohistochemistry and molecular investigations. Aspirates showed poorly specific polymorphous sarcomatoid malignancy in all cases. Histologically, all cases were polymorphous high-grade malignancies, additionally one case showed epithelial structures and was finally classified as salivary carcinosarcoma. Immunohistochemistry showed classical melanocytic markers negativity but positivity for PRAME, CD10, WT1 in all three tumors and for CD56 in two tumors, which can potentially be supportive of melanocytic origin. Although not entirely specific, molecular characterization also suggested the melanocytic lineage of these tumors.

CONCLUSION: Although rare, primary malignant melanoma of salivary gland was already described, but undifferentiated/dedifferentiated amelanotic forms are unknown in this localization up today. Further case reports of similar presentations are required to confirm the unequivocal primary origin of these obscure neoplasms in the parotid gland.