Pleomorphic adenoma of the larynx

Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most common benign neoplasm of the salivary glands. It usually occurs in major salivary glands, such as the parotid and submandibular glands. Occasionally, however, it occurs in the larynx. These lesions generally present as a slow-growing, painless mass. Malignant transformation is very rare, but it increases with time. The present report is the case of a 59-year-old male who presented with a complaint of hoarseness. Right vertical partial hemilaryngectomy revealed an intact, mucosa-covered, fleshy 2×1.5×1 cm mass in the supraglottic area of the larynx. Lesion had histological characteristics of a PA, and this was confirmed by immunohistochemical expression of cytokeratin, S100 protein, Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin. Their histopathological identification is, however, not always straightforward; immunohistochemistry can contribute significantly to formulation of a definitive diagnosis and to the realization of appropriate follow-up.