Abstract

Background: Warthin tumor is a common benign tumor of the salivary gland that is painless, slow-growing, and most commonly found in the parotid gland. Warthin tumor may become infarcted or undergo metaplastic changes as a consequence of trauma or fine-needle aspiration (FNA), which can lead to tumor injury and necrosis. The typical histological features of the tumor can be altered by inflammatory fibrosis and squamous or mucinous metaplasia of the epithelium, making the diagnosis very challenging and sometimes easily mistaken for a mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Case Presentation: We report a case of a 65-year-old man who presented with left parotid swelling and pain after a core biopsy, and was referred from another clinic for partial parotidectomy. The lesion was finally diagnosed as an infarcted (metaplastic) Warthin tumor based on histologic interpretation and the patient’s medical history. Conclusion: Recognition of these histological changes resulting from tumor infarction combined with clinical correlation is essential to avoid overinterpreting as malignant.