Pleomorphic Adenoma of the Hard Palate in a Young Adult Female

Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most common benign salivary gland tumor and typically affects middle-aged individuals. PAs involving the minor salivary glands of the hard palate in young patients are rare and often lead to a delayed diagnosis due to their slow growth and lack of symptoms. A 19-year-old female patient presented with a painless swelling on the right hard palate for 5 years. Clinical examination revealed a well-circumscribed, firm, nontender swelling on the hard palate, measuring approximately 3.5 cm × 2.5 cm, extending from the right maxillary canine to the right second molar. Fine-needle aspiration cytology indicated PA. Preoperative investigations, including panoramic radiography and magnetic resonance imaging, were done to assess the extent of the lesion. The lesion was treated by complete surgical excision. Histopathological examination revealed a PA of a minor salivary gland of the hard palate. Postoperative healing was uneventful with satisfactory functional recovery using a palatal obturator. No recurrence was found during a 1-year follow-up period. Although uncommon in young adults, PA should always be considered in the differential diagnoses of persistent palatal swellings.