Acinic Cell Carcinoma is a rare form of salivary gland cancer. Salivary glands comprise between 0.3% to 0.9% of all cancers in the United States and within this Acinic Cell Carcinoma is approximately 6-10% of all salivary gland cancers. Between 1985 to 1995 the National Cancer Database identified 1,353 cases, which is approximately 135 cases per year.
Acinic cell carcinomas most frequently arise in the parotid, but have rarely occurred as the primary in other sites. Acinic/Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas and lungs have occurred, but more frequently as a metastases.
