Pleomorphic adenoma of the palate in a child: a case report

Salivary gland tumors are rare in children and the incidence differs from the adult counterpart. When salivary gland tumors do arise in children, they preferentially affect major salivary glands, but minor salivary gland tumors have also been reported. We reported the first case of palatal pleomorphic adenoma in a 13 year-old child from Thailand. She came to Sawanpracharak hospital with the chief complaint of a swelling at the left side of the palate. The oral mucosa covering the lesion was intact. Occlusal radiograph revealed no bony destruction. Incisional biopsy was performed on this patient. The biopsy showed several ducts which were lined by cuboidal cells. These ducts were surrounded by myoepithelial cells, some of which had the plasmacytoid appearance The patient was treated by wide local excision and no recurrence was observed 8 years after the surgery. Differential diagnoses of a palatal swelling in children and treatment of pleomorphic adenoma at the palate were also discussed.