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Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Education and training, eLearning, MR, CT, Ultrasound, Head and neck
Authors:
M. E. Perez Montilla1, I. Bravo Rey1, E. Roldán Romero1, F. Bravo-Rodríguez2; 1Cordoba/ES, 2Cordoba /ES
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2015/C-1042
Background
The pleomorphic adenoma (or benign mixed tumor) is the most common tumor in the major salivary glands,
especially the parotid gland.
It also sits in the minor salivary glands and is rare in other locations of the head and neck.
Pleomorphic adenoma is a benign tumor that contains both mesenchymal and epithelial elements.
At histologic analysis,
pleomorphic adenoma has a fibrous pseudocapsule with epithelial cells.
Cells may form nests or tubules that resemble ducts.
The background stroma may appear myxoid with spindle-shaped cells and mucin or may contain heterologous elements such as cartilage or bone.
Pleomorphic adenoma occurs in people in the fourth and fifth decades of life,
but may arise at any age.
There is a slight predominance in women.
Clinically,
it manifests as slowly growing painless mass.
However,
small lesions may be detected incidentally at imaging tests.
In exceptional cases,
pleomorphic adenomas may be clinically aggressive.
Once clinical and imaging diagnosis is established,
a pleomorphic adenoma is excised en bloc.
After incomplete excision,
pleomorphic adenomas often recur,
usually multifocally.
Nontreated pleomorphic adenomas may undergo malignant transformation after decades; they may metastasize and even be fatal.
With successful excision,
prognosis is excellent.