Spinal metastasis of parotid acinic cell carcinoma followed by intradural extramedullary recurrence: illustrative case

Acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) is a rare salivary gland cancer known for its ability to spread and recur, even many years after initial treatment. This case report describes a unique instance where ACC from the parotid gland metastasized to the spine, specifically within the spinal canal but outside the spinal cord itself. The patient, who had a history of ACC for 29 years, developed spinal cord compression due to the tumor's growth. After previous treatments had been exhausted, surgery was performed to remove the tumor and relieve the pressure on the spinal cord. This case highlights the rarity of intradural extramedullary metastases from parotid ACC and demonstrates that surgical intervention can improve neurological symptoms in such cases, even when other treatment options are limited.

• 1
  The patient presented with progressive cervical myelopathy 29 years after initial diagnosis of parotid ACC, indicating a rare late recurrence and metastasis.
• 2
  MRI revealed an intradural extramedullary tumor at the C2-C3 level, which was initially suspected due to the lack of a 'curtain sign' and later confirmed intraoperatively.
• 3
  Surgical resection of the tumor led to improved neurological function, demonstrating the potential benefit of surgical intervention even with limited treatment options.