Acinic cell carcinoma arising in the palatine salivary glands is relatively rare. We report a case of acinic cell carcinoma arising in the soft palate of a 40-year-old man. The tumor was 10 × 15 mm in size and elastic hard. No swelling of the cervical lymph nodes was palpated. Excision of the tumor was performed with the patient under general anesthesia. Histopathological examination revealed that the parenchyma of the tumor was composed of microcysts. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain after digestion showed secretory granules in some tumor cells and secretion in dilated lumens. The tumor was diagnosed as a rare atypical case of acinic cell carcinoma showing microcystic and papillary-cystic patterns, characterized by numerous small spaces and prominent cystic spaces, respectively. The postoperative course was uneventful, and there was no evidence of recurrence or metastasis 5 years after surgery.
