Oncocytic Tumors (Oncocytomas) of Minor Salivary Glands

OF THE salivary gland tumors of the head and neck, probably the least frequently encountered is the oxyphil granular-cell adenoma, or oncocytoma. Not more than 60 such tumors have been reported, and most of these have been located in the major salivary glands, particularly the parotid. The tumor may, however, originate from cells in the minor salivary glands and seromucous glands of the respiratory tract. In this report, a patient with an oncocytoma of the nose and maxillary sinus is presented accompanied by a review of earlier reports to stress the minor salivary gland origin for this group of neoplasms. Report of a Case A 61-year-old white man was referred to the University Hospital for treatment of a tumor in his nose. He had nasal stuffiness and episodes of epistaxis for one year, and a persistent rhinorrhea for six months. A blue-red firm fixed cluster-like mass filled the posterior superior