Yonsei Med J.  2009 Dec;50(6):848-851. 10.3349/ymj.2009.50.6.848.

Malignant Myoepithelioma of the Palate: A Case Report with Review of the Clinicopathological Characteristics

• Acikalin M
• Pasaoglu O
• Cakli H
• Gurbuz K
• Canaz F

• KMID: 1777102
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2009.50.6.848

Abstract

A malignant myoepithelioma is one of the rarest salivary gland neoplasms which may either arise de novo or develop within a preexisting pleomorphic adenoma or benign myoepithelioma. The parotid gland is the most common primary site and the palate the most common intra-oral site of occurrence. Herein is present a case of a malignant myoepithelioma arising in the hard palate of a 79-year-old woman. The lesion had been examined by biopsy at another hospital, and diagnosed as a poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The patient underwent a wide local tumor resection. Examination of the resection specimen showed the characteristic histopathological and immunohistochemical features of a malignant myoepithelioma. Five months after the operation, the patient was well without evidence of recurrence or metastasis.

Keyword

Malignant myoepithelioma; palate

MeSH Terms

Aged
Female
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Myoepithelioma/*diagnosis/*pathology/surgery
Palatal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/*pathology/surgery
Palate/*pathology/*surgery

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Axial computed tomography scan showing a solid mass in the hard palate.

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  Fig. 2 Plasmacytoid and spindle-shaped cells, with pleomorphic nuclei and prominent nucleoli in a myxomatous stroma (H&E, original magnification×200).

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  Fig. 3 Noncohesive, infiltrative and widespread single tumor cells at the edge of the tumor (H&E, original magnification×100).

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  Fig. 4 (A) Tumor cells were diffusely and intensely positive for vimentin (original magnification×200) and (B) S-100 protein (original magnification×200).

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