BENIGN LYMPHOEPITHELIAL SALIVARY LESION TO BE DISTINGUISHED FROM ADENOLYMPHOMA

In a collection of 11 cases, the benign lymphoepithelial lesion presented clinically in every case as a tumour of a salivary gland. In eight cases the parotid was affected, in two a palatal salivary gland, and in one the submandibular gland was affected. Microscopically the lesion consisted of a mixture of lymphoid and epithelial components and, although the appearances in several cases suggested lymphosarcoma or reticulosarcoma, the arrangement of the epithelial component in characteristic islands (epi-myoepithelial islands) indicated the benign nature of the lesion. In one case incomplete excision of a lesion of the palate was followed by a recurrence that was cured by a radium mould. The microscopical appearances of the benign lymphoepithelial lesion were identical with those of the salivary lesions of Sjögren's syndrome but in all the cases the lesion was an isolated one and the sicca syndrome was absent.