Pigmented pleomorphic adenoma, a novel melanin-pigmented benign salivary gland tumor.

This paper reports a pleomorphic adenoma with grossly visible pigmentation resulting in the macroscopic appearance of melanotic lesion in a 33-year-old Japanese male. In addition to the characteristic histopathological features of a benign pleomorphic adenoma, variously formed and -sized cells, many of which were considered to be melanocytes, containing melanin pigment in their cytoplasm, were distributed in the epithelial component. In addition, melanin pigment was deposited in tumor cells of duct structures. Furthermore, condensed secretory substances with marked pigmentation were frequently seen in the tubular lumina. Perusal of the English language literature revealed only two cases of parenchymal pigmentation of salivary gland tumors: both were mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The possible histogenesis of melanocytes in the salivary gland lesions is discussed, though no firm conclusion could be drawn.