National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia


Other Names:
SMECE
Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia (SMECE) is a type of cancer that most commonly affects the thyroid gland, but has been reported in the salivary gland as well.[1][2] Signs and symptoms include a painless neck mass.[2] Many people with mucoepidermoid carcinomas are women with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.[1][3] The prevalence of SMECE is unknown, but only around 50 cases have been described in the medical literature.[4] SMECE most commonly presents between 40 to 75 years of age.[2] SMECE was initially considered a "low-grade" tumor, however cases of SMECE spreading locally to lymph nodes and to distant organs have been described.[1][3] While data is limited, with treatment it appears that prognosis is typically good.[1][4][5][2]
Last updated: 5/20/2015

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  1. Kobayashi Y et al.,. Local recurrence of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia in the upper lip: a case report. J Med Case Rep. 2015 Feb 24; 9:41. Accessed 5/20/2015.
  2. Frazier WD, Patel NP, Sullivan CA. Pathology quiz case 1. Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia (SMECE). Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2008 Mar; 134(3):333, 335. Accessed 5/20/2015.
  3. Das S, Kalyani R. Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia of the thyroid. Indian J Pathol Microbiol. 2008 Jan-Mar; 51(1):34-6. Accessed 5/20/2015.
  4. Quiroga-Garza G et al.,. Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia of the thyroid: more aggressive than previously reported. Hum Pathol. 2015 May; 46(5):725-31. Accessed 5/20/2015.
  5. Tasaki T et al.,. Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia of the salivary gland: case report and review of the literature. Pathol Int. 2013 Feb; 63(2):125-31.