PALATAL SALIVARY GLAND TUMORS: REPORT OF THREE CASES WITH CHALLENGING CLINICAL PREDICTORS OF MALIGNANCY

Abstract

The palate is the most common location of minor salivary gland tumors. Our study contributes three new cases of palatal salivary gland tumors (PSGT) with challenging clinical presentations. Case #1: A 54-year-old woman presented a dome-shaped, ulcerated, and normochromic swelling of a 2-year duration, measuring 4 cm, which was diagnosed microscopically as pleomorphic adenoma. Case #2: A 50-year-old woman presented a mild swelling of the reddish surface and 15 years of duration, measuring 1.5 cm, diagnosed microscopically as conventional mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC). Case #3: A 42-year-old woman presented an asymptomatic 1 cm papule with a reddish ulcerated surface lasting 5 months, which was diagnosed microscopically as a clear cell-rich MEC. From the present cases, the two malignant cases clinically showed pain and/or color alteration. These clinical features might be considered independent clinical predictors of malignancy in PSGT, supporting the decision to perform an incisional or excisional biopsy. The palate is the most common location of minor salivary gland tumors. Our study contributes three new cases of palatal salivary gland tumors (PSGT) with challenging clinical presentations. Case #1: A 54-year-old woman presented a dome-shaped, ulcerated, and normochromic swelling of a 2-year duration, measuring 4 cm, which was diagnosed microscopically as pleomorphic adenoma. Case #2: A 50-year-old woman presented a mild swelling of the reddish surface and 15 years of duration, measuring 1.5 cm, diagnosed microscopically as conventional mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC). Case #3: A 42-year-old woman presented an asymptomatic 1 cm papule with a reddish ulcerated surface lasting 5 months, which was diagnosed microscopically as a clear cell-rich MEC. From the present cases, the two malignant cases clinically showed pain and/or color alteration. These clinical features might be considered independent clinical predictors of malignancy in PSGT, supporting the decision to perform an incisional or excisional biopsy.