[Tumors of the posterior hard palate]

The palatal mucosa is a representative area when reviewing etiology of the wide variety of oral tumours. The most important are of cystic, neoplastic or inflammatory nature. A case of malignant lymphoma occurred as a firm, painless swelling in the lateral posterior hard palate in a 69 year old woman. The tumour was initially diagnosed and treated as an abscess. Weeks later the swelling persisted and the patient was referred to the Department of oral surgery and oral medicine. University of Bergen. Incisional biopsy revealed the true nature of the process. Following cytostatic and radiation therapy, total regression of the tumour took place. The prognosis is considered favourable. The paper surveys the etiology of tumours of the posterior hard palate.