Pleomorphic adenoma of the external auditory canal in Japan, with a case report.

A rare case of a 51-year-old female with a pleomorphic adenoma, measuring 0.9 x 0.7 x 0.6 (cm3), originating from the right external auditory canal (EAC), was reported. The authors discussed the 7 reported cases of EAC pleomorphic adenoma in Japan, comparing them with pleomorphic adenomas occurring in the nasal cavity and the parotid gland. It is currently too early to conclude that pleomorphic adenoma in the EAC does not tend to recur or shows a marked tendency toward canceration. The best possible treatment for EAC pleomorphic adenoma at present seems to be, as in cases of tumors in other sites, surgical resection together with removal of a sufficient range of surrounding normal tissue, followed by careful long-term postoperative observation of the clinical course.