Pleomorphic Adenoma of the Salivary Glands: Two Atypical Locations

Abstract

Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common tumor of the salivary glands, accounting for approximately 50% of salivary gland lesions. It develops mainly in the salivary glands: parotid (80%), submaxillary (10%), sublingual (1%) and in the accessory oral-pharyngeal glands (9%). The aim of this work was to report 2 cases of pleomorphic adenoma of atypical location and then to discuss the difficulties linked to its diagnostic and therapeutic management in the Malian context. They were a 40-year-old man and a 72-year-old woman. They were admitted to the ENT department of the "Luxembourg Mere-infant" hospital for oropharyngeal swelling for the first and swelling of the palate for the second. The clinical expression was a swelling in both cases, of a hard, mobile consistency with healthy mucosa on their surface. The remainder of the physical examination was unremarkable. The diagnosis of a tumor of the oropharynx and palate was made following clinical radiological examinations. The histopathological examination of the surgical specimen made it possible to make the diagnosis of pleomorphic adenoma of the palate and the left palatine tonsil. The follow-up surgery was straightforward, with a favorable outcome. Pleomorphic adenomas are relatively rare benign tumors of the accessory salivary glands; their clinical expression remains swelling. Therapeutic management is surgery and the diagnosis is confirmed by histopathological examination.