A case of pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland with marked calcification

We report a case of pleomorphic adenoma with marked calcification.A 63-year-old woman had an elastic spherical hard nodule measuring about 20×20mm in diameter at the tail of right parotid gland. A computed tomographic examination showed marked calcification within the clearly demarcated tumor nodule. Histologically, the tumor was composed of pleomorphic adenoma with abundant hyalinized matrix components. Numerous calcium granules were found in the fibrous connective tissues surrounding the tumor and demarcating it from the non-neoplastic atrophic parotid gland. Calcification granules were also associated with the degenerative tumor cells and cell debris. The pathogenesis of calcium deposition in the tumor tissue is briefly discussed.