Androgen receptor-positive ductal adenocarcinoma of the nasolacrimal duct: A case report

Purpose Primary ductal adenocarcinoma arising in the structures of the lacrimal apparatus is extremely rare, and the entity is considered a lacrimal counterpart of salivary duct carcinoma, of which the majority are known to express androgen receptor (AR). Less than 10 cases of AR-positive carcinomas of lacrimal gland or lacrimal sac have been described. Observations We present a primary ductal adenocarcinoma with AR expression involving the nasolacrimal duct of a middle-aged patient who had suffered from right eyelid swelling, diplopia and epiphora for 4 months. Although the tumor histologically resembled oncocytic carcinoma, electron microscopic examination did not show cytoplasmic accumulation of mitochondria, which excluded the diagnosis of oncocytic carcinoma with AR positivity. Conclusions and importance We concluded that this is the first case of AR-positive ductal adenocarcinoma arising from nasolacrimal duct. It is possible that some of the previously documented oncocytic carcinomas of the lacrimal drainage system may include ductal adenocarcinomas with oncocytic features.