Salivary gland-type tumours (SGT) outside the head and neck region are rare but have been reported in various locations, including breast, skin, cervix, trachea and lung. [1,2] Primary pulmonary salivary gland–type tumours (PPSGT) represent <1 % of all lung tumours. [3,4] Their origin is believed to be from the submucosal seromucinous glands of the central airway. [5] Recognizing these rare lung tumours that exhibit different clinical behaviour from non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is pivotal.

Although PPSGT share a similar immune-morphological and molecular profile as that of head and neck SGT, the incidence of individual SGT differs greatly at these locations. The vast majority of PPSGTs are malignant, unlike the head and neck SGTs. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) and adenoid cystic carcinoma (ADCC) are the 2 most common histologic types in the lung [7,8]. At the same time, pleomorphic adenoma is the most common SGT of the head and neck region, but it rarely occurs in the tracheobronchial tree or lungs. [1,2,9]

Most PPSGT appear as centrally located endobronchial masses, causing obstructive symptoms. Although these are slow-growing tumors with better outcomes than NSCLC, some cases may show local invasion and lymph node metastasis. [10,11]

These tumours are often misdiagnosed due to their rareness and lack of awareness. It is challenging to diagnose them accurately, especially in small biopsies, due to overlapping morphology with other lung neoplasms and metastatic SGTs from head and neck origin. [6] Establishing accurate diagnosis is crucial for appropriate clinical management. PPSGT have been the subject of only small series or case reports, and no recent data is available on their frequency, clinical behaviour, treatment, outcomes, and histopathologic spectrum in any large series, particularly from India.

We retrospectively evaluated the clinicopathological spectrum of 111 cases of PPSGT diagnosed at our institute between 2003 and 2021. This study cohort represents the largest collection of PPSGT cases from a single centre in India.