Resection of liver metastasis from submandibular gland carcinoma five years after the primary operation: A case

Abstract Introduction Liver metastasis of submandibular gland carcinoma is not uncommon, yet its optimal management is still unclear. We report a case of resection of liver metastasis from submandibular gland carcinoma five years after the primary operation. Case presentation The patient was a 76-year-old male who had undergone resection of primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the submandibular gland in 2012. On follow-up computed tomography (CT) five years after the initial operation, a tumor was found incidentally in hepatic segment 6. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the lesion's presence. Based on imaging findings and medical history, the lesion was suspected to be a liver metastasis of the previous submandibular gland carcinoma. The patient underwent hepatic posterior sectionectomy. His postoperative course was uneventful except for minor bile leakage that subsided without surgical intervention, and he was discharged on postoperative day 25. Postoperative pathological examinations of the hepatic tumor showed exactly the same features seen in the primary submandibular gland carcinoma, and the diagnosis as metastasis from this carcinoma was confirmed. Discussion Liver resection may be a reasonable choice of treatment for liver metastasis of submandibular gland carcinoma. Further evidence from studies with larger patient populations must be accumulated to confirm this. Conclusion We report our experience with a case of liver metastasis from submandibular gland carcinoma, which was resected five years after the primary operation.