Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is the common malignant salivary gland neoplasm observed in adults, however, in a relatively low incidence in children. This report described a case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the hard palate in a 10-year-old boy. He was referred to our hospital with a chief complaint of swelling on the hard palate on April 28, 1999. He had had a 6-month history of swelling on the left side of the hard palate. This lesion had been biopsied in another institution 2 weeks previously, and diagnosed as “mucoepidermoid carcinoma”. Clinical examination disclosed a smooth and round mass 25×15mm in size involving the left hard palate. There was no regional lymphadenopathy and general physical examination was unremarkable. Computed tomography showed an enhancing region corresponding to the tumor. The patient underwent excision of the mass with partial maxillectomy under general anesthesia. Microscopic examination showed a cystic lesion that was partly filled with proliferation of the tumor cells, and a pathological diagnosis of mucoepidermoid carcinoma was made. The clinical course after surgery was satisfactory for over 7 years, while he received administration of UFT 600mg per day orally for the postoperative 12 months.
