Abstract
Background
Myoepitheliomas of the salivary glands are rare neoplasms accounting for less than 1.5% of all salivary gland tumours. They are classified into four cell types: spindle, clear, epithelioid and plasmacytoid. The plasmacytoid cell type appears to have a predilection for the oral cavity, especially the palate.
Case presentation
A 56-year-old man was admitted to the ENT department complaining of a painless soft palate mass that had shown progressive growth over the past 9 months. At oral examination, a firm, nodular, ovoid-shaped lesion measuring 2.5cm in diameter with a well-delimited border, was palpated at the posterior midline portion of the soft palate. The overlying mucosa was intact. Computed tomography (CT) showed a hypodense tumour image. The clinical picture was suggestive of a tumour of the small salivary glands. The patient underwent a complete surgical resection of the tumour. The latter was located in the submucosa. It consisted of polygonal cells with round, eccentric nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm. Focal necrosis was not observed. The mitotic index was 2/10 high-power fields.
Immunohistochemically, the tumour cells showed positivity for S-100 protein, vimentin, GFAP and negativity for CK 14 and SMA. The immunoreactivity of Ki-67 was sporadic, confirming the diagnosis of benign myoepithelioma.
Conclusion
Myoepithelioma composed predominantly of plasmacytoid myoepithelial cells is a rare neoplasm that occurs in the soft palate. Wide excision with tumour-free margins is the treatment of choice.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ellis GL, Auclair PL. Tumors of the salivary glands. Third series, fascicle 17. Washington, D.C. Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 1996; p. 57–60
Dardick I. Myoepithelioma: Definitions and diagnostic criteria. Ultrastruct Pathol 1995; 19:335–345
Kanazawa H, Furuya T, Watanabe T, Kato J. Plasmacytoid myoepithelioma of the palate. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 1999; 57:857–860
Sciubba JJ, Brannon RB. Myoepithelioma of salivary glands: report of 23 cases. Cancer 1982; 49:562–572
Kim-Sook Hyun, Won M Lee, Choi S Myung. Myoepithelioma of the soft palate: Helical CT findings in two patients. Korean J Rad 2007; 8:552–556
Barnes L, Appel BN, Perez H, El-Attar AM. Myoepitheliomas of the head and neck: case report and review. J Surg Oncol 1985; 28:21–28
Katsuyama E, Kaneoka A, Higuchi K. Myoepithelioma of the soft palate. Acta Cytol 1997; 41:1856–1858
Vidya A, Shruti H. Myoepithelioma of the soft palate: Report of a rare case. Journ Oral Sign 2012; 4:51–52
Sperandio FF, Giudice FS, Pinto Junior DD, de Sousa SC. Myoepithelioma of the soft palate. J Oral Maxillofac Res 2011; 2:(1):e4
Simpson RHW, Jones H, Beasley P. Benign myoepithelioma of the salivary glands: a true entity? Histopathol 1995; 27:1–9
Sugiura R, Kuyama K, Utsunomyja T, Morikawa M, Fukumoto M, Yamamoto H. Myoepithelioma arising from the buccal glands: Histopathological and immunohistochemical studies. J Oral Sci 2000; 42:39–42
Santos EP, Cavalcanto DPR, Melo A, et al. Plasmacytoid myoepithelioma of minor salivary glands: report of a case with emphasis in the immunohistochemical findings. Head & Face Medic 2011; 7:24.
Nagao T, Sugano I, Ishida Y, Tajima Y, Matsuzaki O, Konno A, et al. Salivary gland malignant myoepithelioma. A clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of ten cases. Cancer 1998; 83:1292–1299
Araujo de Cavalcanti V, Carvalho YR, Araujo de NS. Actin versus Vimentin in myoepithelial cells of salivary gland tumors. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 1994; 77:387–391
Alós L, Cardesa A, Bombí JA, Mallofré C, Cuchi A, Traserra J. Myoepithelial tumors of salivary glands. Semin Diagn Path 1996; 13:138–147
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Klimis, A., Philipou, M. Myoepithelioma of the soft palate: Review of the literature and report of a case with immunohistochemical study. Hellenic J Surg 86, 42–46 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13126-014-0093-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13126-014-0093-1