Primary carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma of the bronchus: report of two cases and review of the literature

Primary carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma in the tracheobronchial system is an exceedingly rare neoplasm arising from minor salivary glands. Two cases of this unusual entity were presented. All the lesions were associated with bronchial system, while neither of the patients had a history of a head and neck salivary gland neoplasm. Both cases were followed up for more than 3.5 years. Thus, further data concerning biological behavior and prognosis were made availably. In addition, we provided a review of all cases published to date and summarized the data presently known, for the first time, with the emphasis on the computed tomography (CT) findings. The diagnosis of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma should be considered in elderly patients with slowly progressive symptoms of dyspnea and cough. The continued clinical evaluation and long-term follow-up seems to be of utmost importance for better diagnosis and treatment of primary carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma of the bronchus.