Pleomorphic adenoma of the hard palate – Usual tumor at an uncommon site: A cytological diagnosis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) (benign mixed tumor) is one of the salivary gland tumors affecting both major and minor salivary glands and accounts for 40%–70% of all tumors. This is a tumor of diverse histological and topographical presentation. PA is a benign tumor but poses a diagnostic dilemma because of its diverse histological and topographical presentation. A 36-year-old male patient reported to the outpatient department with a complaint of painless swelling in the upper left palatal region for the past 3 years. A preoperative fine-needle aspiration cytology was done, and the patient was diagnosed with a pleomorphic adenoma, ruling out malignancy. PA, though a common entity, is still a challenging tumor for a pathologist. Its diverse morphological features make the tumor special and difficult to diagnose on cytology.