WARTHIN-TUMOR - A NEW HYPOTHESIS CONCERNING ITS DEVELOPMENT

Objective. Warthin tumor is the second most common benign parenchymal salivary neoplasm. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the histo pathologic features of Warthin tumor to determine whether a developmen tal pattern could be identified. Study design, Seventy-nine Warthin tu mors in 63 patients (62 male and 1 female, average age, 58.62 years) w ere examined. All cases were histopathologically classified and morpho metrically analyzed with an Optomax st stem to measure the proportions of lymphoid tissue and cystic cavities. Results, The predominantly ep ithelial type (21% of all cases) of Warthin tumor was associated with a mean patient age at diagnosis of 53 years. a mean evolution time of 2.8 months, an average size of 1 cm, and a mean lymphoid component of 10%. In the case oi the classical type (61% of all cases), the mean pa tient age at diagnosis was 58 yeats, the mean evolution time 9 months, the average size 2.4 cm, and the mean lymphoid component 40%. For the predominantly lymphoid type (18% of all cases), these values were, re spectively, 62 years, 11 months, 2.8 cm, and 74%. The mean size of the classical and lymphoid tumors (79% of the Warthin tumors) was signifi cantly greater (p < 0.0001) than the mean size of the epithelial type (79% of the Warthin tumors), A positive correlation between tumor size and evolution time was found. Conclusion, Our results suggest that th e Warthin tumor initially develops as an adenomatous epithelial prolif eration followed by lymphocytic infiltration.