Myoepithelioma of the head and neck
| Myoepithelioma of the head and neck | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Micrograph of a myoepithelioma. H&E stain. | |
| Specialty | Oncology |
| Types | Benign, Malignant (rarely) |
Myoepithelioma of the head and neck, also myoepithelioma, is a salivary gland
As the name suggests, it consists of
Pathology
The myoepithelial cells may be spindled, plasmacytoid, eithelioid or clear. Tubules or epithelium are absent, or present in a small amount (<5%) by definition. Tumours with myoepithelial cells and a large amount of tubules are classified as pleomorphic adenomas (which must also contain the characteristic chondromyxoid stroma, which is normally absent in myoepithelioma).
Diagnosis
Myoepitheliomas are diagnosed from an examination of the tissue by a
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Low mag. -
High mag.
Treatment
Benign myoepithelioma are treated with simple excision. They are less prone to recurrence than pleomorphic adenoma. Malignant myoepitheliomas are excised and have been treated in the past with dacarbazine but are prone to both metastasis and re-occurrence.