Papillary cystadenoma is a benign epithelial tumor of the salivary glands.

bubble_chart Pathological Changes

1. Gross Morphology The tumor is round, with a diameter most commonly ranging from 1 to 3 cm. Its surface is nodular, and it has a clear boundary with the surrounding tissue. The cut surface appears white or gray-white, solid or containing cystic cavities of varying sizes. The cystic cavities contain mucoid material, and small papillae may protrude into larger cystic cavities.

2. Microscopic Examination The tumor is composed of mucous cells and cuboidal cells, which are arranged in an alternating pattern. The mucous cells are columnar or cuboidal in shape, with small, round nuclei located at one end of the cell, deeply stained, and lightly stained cytoplasm. The cuboidal cells have eosinophilic cytoplasm with indistinct boundaries, and their nuclei are round or oval, larger in size, and lightly stained. In papillary cystadenomas, the glandular lumens are markedly dilated into cystic cavities, lined by columnar or cuboidal glandular epithelial cells, with numerous proliferative papillae protruding into the lumen. The epithelial cells of the papillae are tall columnar, exhibiting secretory activity, and the central core of the papillae contains connective tissue fiber bundles without lymphoid tissue. The cystic cavities contain eosinophilic material.

3. Biological Characteristics The nature of papillary cystadenoma remains controversial. Most consider it a benign tumor, but it exhibits local invasiveness.

bubble_chart Clinical Manifestations

Papillary cystadenoma of the salivary glands commonly occurs in the minor salivary glands, with the palate being the most frequent site. There is no gender difference in patient distribution, and the disease is most prevalent between the ages of 30 and 50. Patients typically present with a localized mass that grows slowly and has a prolonged course, sometimes lasting several decades. Most patients experience no subjective symptoms or functional impairment, while a minority may report pain or a sensation of swelling.

Papillary cystadenoma should be treated surgically. The tumor and surrounding normal tissue should be surgically removed, and simple tumor enucleation should not be performed.