# Salivary Gland Anlage Tumor: A Case Report on Abnormal Breathing Found in a Late-Preterm Infant

## TL;DR

A rare case of a salivary gland anlage tumor causing breathing issues in a preterm infant is reported, highlighting the importance of considering this condition in newborns with respiratory distress.

## Contribution

This case report highlights SGAT as a rare but critical cause of respiratory distress in neonates, emphasizing the need for early recognition.

## Key findings

- SGAT was diagnosed in a preterm infant after an incidental MRI finding.
- The tumor was successfully removed via minimally invasive surgery with no recurrence observed.
- The case underscores the importance of considering rare tumors in neonatal respiratory distress.

## Abstract

There are many etiologies for respiratory distress in newborns, one of the rare causes being nasopharyngeal tumors. Of that category, salivary gland anlage tumor (SGAT) is exceedingly rare. Symptoms of SGAT vary by patient, but the most common presenting symptom is respiratory distress. The rarity of SGAT and infantile nasopharyngeal tumors in general can lead to delayed diagnosis in newborns with respiratory distress. We report an unexpected and incidental finding of this potentially life-threatening condition in the neonatal population. A preterm male infant with respiratory distress, who was undergoing a neurological workup for new hypotonia, was found to have an incidental nasopharyngeal mass after brain MRI. Upon eventual minimally invasive endoscopic surgical excision and pathologic workup for the mass, the patient was diagnosed with SGAT. The patient has since been with outpatient follow-up visits with no evidence of recurrence of the mass. The purpose of this report is to present a rare and often overlooked life-threatening diagnosis of respiratory distress in the neonatal population.