Pleomorphic adenomas of the lacrimal gland: a clinicopathological analysis.

Purpose: To analyse retrospectively 32 cases of pleomorphic adenoma of the lacrimal gland diagnosed over a 10-year period in a tertiary referral eye centre from North India.

Methods: The clinical features of 32 cases of pleomorphic adenomas diagnosed between 1991 and 2000 were analysed and the histopathological features reviewed light microscopically.

Results: Among the clinical features, a marked male predominance with younger age of presentation and left-sided dominance was noted. The duration of symptoms was less than 10 months in 28% cases. Histopathologically, the features included presence of cystic degeneration (15.6%) and squamous metaplasia (18.7%). Calcification, osteoid formation and malignant transformation (3.1% each) were occasionally observed.

Conclusions: Pleomorphic adenomas of the lacrimal gland may present with duration of symptoms of less than 10 months. Cystic degeneration, squamous metaplasia, calcification or ossification may be observed in lacrimal gland pleomorphic adenomas, as has been described in pleomorphic adenomas of salivary glands. However, the presence of calcification and bone erosion radiologically in a lacrimal gland tumour does not necessarily indicate malignancy.