Polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (PLGA) is a rare, asymptomatic, slow-growing malignant salivary gland

tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...

. It is most commonly found in the palate. The name of the tumor derives from the fact that: *It has a varied microscopic architectural appearance, i.e. it is ''polymorphous''. *It is non-aggressive when compared to other oral cavity tumors, i.e. it is a ''low-grade'' tumor. *It forms glands, i.e. it is an ''

adenocarcinoma Adenocarcinoma (; plural adenocarcinomas or adenocarcinomata ) (AC) is a type of cancerous tumor that can occur in several parts of the body. It is defined as neoplasia of epithelial tissue that has glandular origin, glandular characteristics, or ...

''. It affects the minor salivary glands in the area between the hard and the soft palate. Male to female ratio is 3:1, and the average age is 56 years.

Histology

PLGAs consist of a monomorphous cell population that has a varied histologic morphology. Microscopically, its

histology Histology, also known as microscopic anatomy or microanatomy, is the branch of biology which studies the microscopic anatomy of biological tissues. Histology is the microscopic counterpart to gross anatomy, which looks at larger structures vis ...

can be confused with an adenoid cystic carcinoma and a

pleomorphic adenoma Pleomorphic adenoma is a common benign salivary gland neoplasm characterised by neoplastic proliferation of epithelial (ductal) cells along with myoepithelial components, having a malignant potentiality. It is the most common type of salivary gla ...

. Image:Polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma high mag.jpg, Polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma.

H&E stain Hematoxylin and eosin stain ( or haematoxylin and eosin stain or hematoxylin-eosin stain; often abbreviated as H&E stain or HE stain) is one of the principal tissue stains used in histology. It is the most widely used stain in medical diagnos ...

. Image:Polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma very high mag.jpg,

Micrograph A micrograph or photomicrograph is a photograph or digital image taken through a microscope or similar device to show a magnified image of an object. This is opposed to a macrograph or photomacrograph, an image which is also taken on a mic ...

of a polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma.

Treatment

PLGAs are treated with wide local surgical excision and long-term follow-up. There is a recurrence rate of 14% (Peterson, contemporary of oral and maxillofacial surgery).

References

Salivary gland neoplasia {{neoplasm-stub