Pleomorphic adenoma history and symptoms

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Maneesha Nandimandalam, M.B.B.S.[2]

Overview

The majority of patients with pleomorphic adenoma are asymptomatic. Patients usually present with a history of swelling, which is gradual in onset and painless in nature. When pleomorphic adenoma arises from the parotid gland people present with dysphagia, dyspnea, difficulty in chewing, hoarseness, and dry mouth. If it occurs in lacrimal gland patients complain of proptosis, diplopia, fullness in the temporal upper eyelid and even visual impairment.

Patients usually present with a history of swelling, which is gradual in onset and painless.^[1]
The majority of patients with pleomorphic adenoma are asymptomatic.
The symptoms mainly depend upon the size, location and the potential to undergo malignant transformation.
When pleomorphic adenoma arises from the parotid gland patients present with:^[2]
- Dry mouth
- Dysphagia(difficulty in swallowing)
- Hoarseness
- Dyspnea
- Difficulty in chewing^[3]
When the tumor arises from the lacrimal glands patients presents with:^[4]
- Diplopia
- Proptosis
- Slight fullness in the temporal upper eyelid
- Visual impairment

↑ Zhan, Kevin Y.; Khaja, Sobia F.; Flack, Allen B.; Day, Terry A. (2016). “Benign Parotid Tumors”. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America. 49 (2): 327–342. doi:10.1016/j.otc.2015.10.005. ISSN 0030-6665.
↑ Zhan KY, Khaja SF, Flack AB, Day TA (April 2016). “Benign Parotid Tumors”. Otolaryngol. Clin. North Am. 49 (2): 327–42. doi:10.1016/j.otc.2015.10.005. PMID 27040584.
↑ Infante-Cossio, P; Gonzalez-Cardero, E; Garcia-Perla-Garcia, A.; Montes-Latorre, E; Gutierrez-Perez, JL; Prats-Golczer, E (2018). “Complications after superficial parotidectomy for pleomorphic adenoma”. Medicina Oral Patología Oral y Cirugia Bucal: 0–0. doi:10.4317/medoral.22386. ISSN 1698-6946.
↑ Harrison W, Pittman P, Cummings T (2018). “Pleomorphic adenoma of the lacrimal gland: A review with updates on malignant transformation and molecular genetics”. Saudi J Ophthalmol. 32 (1): 13–16. doi:10.1016/j.sjopt.2018.02.014. PMC 5943819. PMID 29755265.