Polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (PLGA) is rare in the Japanese population and it shows low-grade malignancy.
We report a case of PLGA arising in the cheek.
The patient was a 48-year-old female, who noticed a painless tumor of the right side of the cheek in 1985. She was referred to our clinic and presented in August 2001.
The tumor was elastic soft, well-demarcated, measuring 2.0×1.7 cm, and a mucosal ulcer was recognized in the central portion of the tumor. Biopsy was performed and the histopathological diagnosis was pleomorphic adenoma (PA). The tumor grew during three years without follow-up. In November 2004, we performed surgical excision with 0.5cm wide margins through an intraoral approach and reconstructed the surgical defects using full-thickness skin grafts from the groin.
Non-encapsulated and infiltrative growth of the tumor was observed by examination of the whole specimen and a definitive diagnosis of PLGA was made.
There have been no signs of recurrence or metastasis in the follow-up.
Because of histopathological similarities among PLGA, PA and adenoid cystic carcinoma, it is necessary to diagnose these tumors carefully.
The first choice of treatment for PLGA is wide surgical excision.
