A case of myoepithelioma of the tongue

Abstract

Myoepithelioma is a rare tumor accounting for 1.5 ％ of all salivary gland tumors. Clinically, myoepithelioma is a slowly growing, painless mass that cannot be distinguished from pleomorphic adenoma.
We report a case of myoepithelioma in the tongue. The patient was a 69-year-old man who had a painless mass in the tongue. Computed tomographic examination showed a well circumscribed mass. The tumor was surgically excised under general anesthesia. The tumor was well encapsulated by a fibrous membrane. Histopathologically,the tumor was composed mainly of plasmacytoid cells without malignant features. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells showed positive staining for cytokeratin 14, S-100 protein, and vimentin. The tumor was diagnosed as a myoepithelioma arising from the tongue. There was no evidence of recurrence 10 years after operation.