Papillary cystadenoma: a rare tumor of the minor salivary glands

Papillary cystadenoma of the minor salivary glands is a rare benign neoplas m that clinically resembles mucous cysts. Characteristic histological featu res are diagnostic. However, salivary gland histology is particularily diff icult to interpret. Primarily, as further clinical and histological differe ntial diagnoses have to take into account the well-differentiated cystic mu coepidermoid carcinoma and the papillary cystic type of acinic cell carcino ma, both malignant neoplasms of the salivary glands. We report on a 39 year old female with a bluish cystic lesion at the buccal mucosa, which occurre d 14 years after the excision of a similar appearing, histologically proven mucous retention cyst at the same location. The histology of this tumor, h owever, revealed a papillary cystadenoma. Although rare, benign and maligna nt salivary gland neoplasms occur in minor salivary glands, and are clinica lly indistinguishable from mucous retention cysts. The dermatologist should be familiar with these differential diagnoses, since different therapeutic consequences result from an early diagnosis obtained by excision and histo logical examination of oral cystic tumors.