Adenoid cystic carcinoma of Bartholin's gland. From the ISSVD Case Consultation Committee

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is an uncommon histological type of the already rare carcinoma of Bartholin's gland. The authors present a case of a 45-year-old woman who was admitted with a two-month history of vulvar pain. Physical examination revealed a 2x2cm fixed mass on the right vaginal wall, originating from the area of Bartholin's gland. As the mass was located in deep tissue, a biopsy could not be performed. Therefore, local excision of the mass was performed under general anesthesia. Pathology examination revealed an ACC of Bartholin's gland. Because of malignancy diagnosis, a more radical surgery was mandatory: a posterior hemivulvectomy, obtaining clear margins, and bilateral inguinofemoral node dissection were performed. In this type of cancer, local recurrences are common and often precede distant metastases.