Long-Standing Pleomorphic Adenoma on a Female’s Palate: A Case Report

Hasti Sarabi  Kia; Arash  Esmaeili; Bahareh  Fattahi; Shahram  Sarkhosh

doi:10.18502/jcr.v12i4.21004

Hasti Sarabi Kia Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Arash Esmaeili Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Bahareh Fattahi Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
Shahram Sarkhosh Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jcr.v12i4.21004

Keywords: Pleomorphic adenoma; Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma; Palatal neoplasms.

Abstract

This case report elucidates the significant oncologic risk associated with long-standing pleomorphic adenoma (PA), wherein the cumulative risk of malignant transformation to carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (CXPA) escalates over time. It details the management of a 46-year-old female with a 25-year history of a palatal mass, which exhibited recent rapid growth—a key clinical warning sign. Diagnosis was confirmed via incisional biopsy following clinical and cone-beam computed tomography assessment, which revealed bony erosion. The patient was successfully treated with complete surgical excision, with final histopathology confirming a benign PA. The case underscores a critical clinical dilemma: delayed intervention for PA inadvertently heightens malignancy risk and complicates management. Consequently, this report strongly advocates for prompt diagnosis and definitive surgical excision upon initial detection of PA to preempt transformation and mitigate the profound prognostic implications of CXPA.