Epithelioid myoepithelioma of the hard palate.

BACKGROUND: Myoepithelioma, a generally benign tumor comprised of myoepithelial cells, is an uncommon salivary gland tumor. Among four morphologic variants of myoepithelioma, epithelioid type has not been reported in the oral and maxillofacial region. CASE REPORT: A 61-year-old man first noticed the mass 3 years previously. The oral examination revealed a firm, non-tender, and well-circumscribed mass in the middle of the hard palate. A magnetic resonance imaging scan showed a well-circumscribed mass with low signal intensity (T(1)-weighted image) or increased signal intensity (T(2)-weighted image). DISCUSSION: Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells in the present case reacted to the epithelial (CK HMW and CAM5.2) and the mesenchymal (vimentin) markers. However, myoepithelial markers (S-100 protein, α-smooth muscle actin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and calponin), except p63, were not expressed in the tumor cells. These results indicated that the epithelial myoepithelioma cells differentiated into epithelial cells rather than myoepithelial cells. We believe that epithelioid myoepithelioma of the palate is a distinctive subtype of myoepithelioma that should be included in the differential diagnosis of tumors of the palate.