Epidemiologic and clinicopathologic features, therapeutic strategies, and prognosis for acinic cell carcinoma of the major and minor salivary glands are critically reviewed. We explore histopathologic, histochemical, electron microscopic and immunohistochemical aspects and discuss histologic grading, histogenesis, animal models, and genetic events. In the context of possible diagnostic difficulties, the relationship to mammary analog secretory carcinoma is probed and a classification is suggested. Areas of controversy or uncertainty, which may benefit from further investigations, are also highlighted.

Coordinator of the International Head and Neck Scientific Group Padua Italy

Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine University of Algarve Faro Portugal

Department of Imaging and Pathology University Hospitals Leuven KU Leuven Leuven Belgium

Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen The Netherlands

Department of Pathology and Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA

Department of Pathology Beth Israel Medical Center New York NY USA

Department of Pathology Faculty of Medicine in Plzen Charles University Prague Prague Czech Republic

Department of Pathology MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston TX USA

Department of Pathology Sahlgrenska Cancer Center University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden

Department of Pathology University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock AR USA

European Salivary Gland Society Geneva Switzerland

Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery and Leuven Cancer Institute Department of Oncology Section Head and Neck Oncology University Hospitals Leuven KU Leuven Leuven Belgium

Pathology Department Liverpool Clinical Laboratories Liverpool UK

School of Dentistry University of Liverpool Liverpool UK

Southern California Permanente Medical Group Woodland Hills CA USA

University of Udine School of Medicine Udine Italy

University Pathologists Fall River MA USA

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