Tumor with slow-developing and recurring lumps of the external ear with skull base and lung metastasis: A case report

The present case report describes a rare case of recurring lumps on the external ear in a 46-year-old Chinese male with a history of >10 years, who presented with large irregular red lumps on the right temple and with lung and skull base metastasis. The patient had a lesion in the right auricle and experienced recurrence following surgical resection. A thorough systemic evaluation revealed no other obvious abnormalities. The patient was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), a slow-growing form of high-grade adenocarcinoma, and refused any further treatment at the present hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University). At 2 years post-follow-up, the patient had become more frail but was in good spirits. The present study indicated that ACC is a low-grade and commonly slow-developing malignancy that primarily arises from a salivary gland, with recurring and metastatic characteristics.