A rare occurrence of lymphoepithelial cyst in the palatine tonsil: a case report and discussion of the etiopathogenesis.

Lymphoepithelial cysts are uncommon benign lesions that present as painless yellowish nodules arising from various sites in the oral cavity and other parts of the body. Their etiopathogenesis is controversial, but most authors have assumed that they develop from obstruction of crypts in oral lymphoid aggregates, thus they are not true cysts but pseudocysts of retention. This paper describes a case of a large lymphoepithelial cyst located in the tonsil of a 21-year-old man complaining of a lump in the throat for four months. The patient underwent excisional biopsy, and the histopathological features showed squamous epithelium surrounded by lymphoid tissue, which were characteristically consistent with a lymphoepithelial cyst. We discuss the etiopathogenesis of these lesions and treatment modalities, which can consist of conservative surgery or only follow-up examination.