A symptomatic intercalated duct lesion of the parotid gland: a case report with immunohistochemical and genetic analyses

Intercalated duct lesions (IDLs) are usually asymptomatic. We report a case of IDL, in which a palpable mass formed. The patient was a 45-year-old Japanese male, who noticed a mass in the left parotid region. The nodular lesion was well-circumscribed, but did not have a fibrous capsule or exhibit infiltrative growth. It contained a small cystic space and consisted of basaloid cells arranged in a cribriform pattern and inner ductal cells. It had some solid areas of nest-like proliferation displaying mild cellular atypia. Immunohistochemically, the luminal cells were positive for cytokeratin (CK)7 and epithelial membrane antigen, and the abluminal cells were positive for CK5/6, p63, and DOG1. S-100 protein-positive stromal cells were also seen. The lesion’s cells were all positive for SOX10, and the nuclei of some basaloid cells were positive for β-catenin. The Ki-67 labeling index was 3.8%. The ductal cells contained diastase-digestion-resistant, Periodic acid Schiff-positive zymogen granules. Genetically, the lesion harbored a missense mutation in the CTNNB1 gene. We diagnosed the lesion as an IDL. As IDLs are usually small non-neoplastic lesions, symptomatic cases are rare. Based on its common immunohistochemical and genetic features, IDL may be a precursor of basal cell adenoma/adenocarcinoma, such as intercalated duct adenoma.