A giant benign myoepithelioma of the palate: report of a case

Abstract

Myoepithelioma, previously recognized as a subtype of pleomorphic adenoma, is a rare benign salivary gland neoplasia composed predominantly of myoepithelial cells with variable cellular morphologies: spindle, epitheliod, plasmacytoid, and clear cells. In the World Health Organisation, International Histological Classification of Tumours myoepithelioma is now recognised as a distinct histological entity. Myoepithelial cells are present in salivary glands, breast, larynx, and sweat glands. It is a rare tumor comprising 1-1.5% of all benign and malignant salivary gland tumors, 2.2% of all benign tumors of major salivary glands, and 5.7% of all benign minor salivary gland tumors. It occurs predominantly in the parotid gland and is rare in the minor salivary glands. We are reporting a 44-year-old female who presented with a giant benign myoepithelioma on the palate that grew slowly over 27 years.