What is pleomorphic adenoma?
Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common form of benign tumor in the salivary glands. It is also called a mixed tumor because its histological or tissue origin comes from different types of cells. The tumor is usually a hard, mobile and painless lonely mass that grows slowly over time.
Most of these types of tumors develop in the parotide gland, with fewer incidents in the submandibular glands and smaller salivary glands. Slive glands are responsible for the production of saliva in the mouth. The orotid gland is the largest salivary gland located near the upper teeth and just below the ear. This gland produces half of the daily saliva through drainage pipes known as salivary channels. It has two lobes, superficial and deep, separated by the nerve of the face. On the other hand, subordinate glands are located just below the tongue, while the smaller salivary glands outline the lips, the mouth and neck.
Pleomorphic adenoma usually occurs in adults between 45 and 60 years and is diagnosed more often in women than in men.Factors associated with pleomorphic adenoma may include chain smoking and radiation exposure. Most often, however, this is due to the blockage of salivary canals, which inhibits drainage of saliva from the glands. There are many reported untreated cases of pleomorphic adenoma. Untreated, which are not treated, tumors can experience malignant changes due to recurrence. Rand transformation is known as a malignant mixed tumor or ex pleomorphic adenoma cancer.
Adenomas are commonly tested by a fine aspiration of needles (FNA). FNA is a histopathological technique that is widely used for its safety in the diagnosis of pleomorphic adenoma. The procedure is generally performed by a pathologist, specializing in the study of tissues to determine the cause of the disease. The test is completed by downloading the tumor sample using the need and syringe. Tissue samples are then processed in the laboratory and a pathologist reading. To determine the location and size of the tumor also no čAssets are used by computer tomography tests (CT) scanning and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests.
Pleomorphic adenoma treatment generally involves surgical resection or removal of part of the organ affected by the tumor. The resection of the benign tumor in the parotide gland is usually performed by superficial parototomy or by removing the surface lobe of the parotid gland. Overall parotidectomy is also often performed, which is the removal of both lobes to prevent repetition, but extreme care is necessary, as this operation can cause damage to the face nerves. Surgical excision or complete removal of the tumor by scalpel is usually performed for benign tumors in smaller salivary glands and submandibular glands.